“Fine!” Kalen snatches a handful of miniatures off the bed and downs three before speaking. “Long story short. I’m an asshole. Move on.”
“Hey! No!” I cry in outrage along with his brothers. “I want the proper story!”
“The others were all initiated into The Order before me. When I saw their tattoos, I got jealous, and decided to sneak out and get mine done early. I didn’t know that it had to be in a certain place, and I thought it looked cool.” He grimaced. “Grandfather tanned my hide so bad when he found out what I’d done. Threatened to stop me from joining altogether...but luckily our dad talked him round.”
“As if he’d have ever stopped the golden child from joining,” Onyx snorts.
“Awww, don’t be bitter, O, it doesn’t suit you.”
Onyx flips him the bird and everyone laughs.
“Okay, so why wasn’t I on your team today?” I ask, though I figure I now know the answer to this one already.
“Rucks are never on a family team.”
“I hate that term,” I screw my face up. “What’s a Ruck?”
“Well, I’m sure you know it’s the lowest of the low, but in this instance, it’s simply a person who hasn’t yet joined The Order. They’re also called pledges, sponsors, candidates...that sort of thing.”
“Okay, so what is The Order?” For the first time they hesitate. Before they can shut me down I plow on. “Is it a cult?”
“No.” Onyx laughs.
“Is it like a frat house thing?”
“No.”
“Mafia?”
Hesitation.
“No.”
“But like the mafia? Dangerous?”
“Potentially.”
“Criminal?”
“Sometimes.”
“Guys,” Sawyer warns. I’m obviously skirting close to Monty’s list of banned topics.
“What does The Order do?” I ask, but Sawyer shakes his head apologetically. I grit my teeth, frustrated. I don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere! “Who are the candidates? How do they get chosen? How do they get in? Is that it, are we in now? Is there more?”
“Whoa, slow down, eager beaver!” Kalen laughs. “No, you’re not in. This is a freaking exclusive club and getting muddy – no matter how hot you looked doing it – is not going to cut the mustard, lady!”
“Cut the mustard?” I frown.
“Whatever. There’s more. A lot more.”
“Okay, what about the other stuff?”
“Can’t tell you that.”
“Ugh! Fine! What else do we have to do to join? Is there going to be hazing and shit?”
“Do you evenwantto join, Amelie?” Onyx snaps, interrupting me and ignoring my questions.
