Page 108 of Reckless Faith

“If you need somewhere to stay, the place upstairs is empty,” Cody said.

Lock shook his head. “I’ve got somewhere.”

He didn’t say more than that, and he could see the questions on his brothers’ faces, but they didn’t voice any of them. He’d owned a place here in town for a while.

Over the next few hours, everyone around him talked while he mostly listened. Watched. Observed the dynamics of his family.

It wasn’t until Sadie asked Elle a question that his attention shot over to them.

“Are you coming to Callie’s class with me tomorrow?”

Lock’s heart stammered at the sound of her name.

Elle shook her head. “Absolutely not. You go to your intermediate classes. I’m switching to beginner’s yoga.”

He didn’t have to ask to know which Callie they were talking about. The same Callie who lived so damn deep inside him that he could barelythinkabout her without his entire body reacting.

Jace turned to him and lowered his voice. “Did you know she was back?”

Lock’s fingers tightened around his beer. “Eastern mentioned it.”

All his brothers knew about his relationship with Callie. It was short and they’d only seen each other when he’d made it home or she’d gone to his base, but it had been intense…and it had changed him.

He cleared his throat. “Is her new studio doing well?”

Jace nodded. “It seems to be busy.”

Of course it was. Everything that woman touched did well. She was smart and hardworking and had this smile that turned heads.

Kayden turned toward him and shoved Lock’s shoulder. “You’re the last Walker sibling left single.”

“How long he lasts is the question,” Jace said with a grin.

Cody nodded. “Yeah, there’s something about this town…people don’t stay single for long.”

His brothers talked and laughed, but Lock barely paid attention. It still felt too surreal to be home, like he wasn’t really here.

Eastern was the first to leave because he needed to get Avery home to bed. Then one by one, Kayden and Jace headed out with their women. When it was just him, Cody and Harper left, Cody gripped his shoulder.

“You sure you don’t need a place to stay? If you don’t want to stay in the upstairs apartment, we have a spare room at our place.”

Harper nodded. “You’re more than welcome.”

Lock shook his head, standing. “Thanks, but I’ve got a place.”

Cody watched him closely. “Okay. Well, it’s great to have you home. Call if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

He told them both goodbye and drove the short distance to the house. It was a place he’d owned for a while now, yet still hadn’t told anyone about, not even his brothers.

He parked in front but didn’t get out right away. Instead, he sat, studying the rotting wood and broken decking. To anyone else, this place would look like a piece of shit, yet he’d bought it in this condition, because to him, it was so much more than that. It was the place where he was supposed to start his new life. The house he was supposed to turn into a home.

He hadn’t.

Would he finally get that chance now?

He’d come home not just because his Ghost Ops team had disbanded…but for her.

For Callie.

To get her back.

To build the life with her that he was supposed to have built years ago.