Ford's Rise - L. Ann Marie Page 0,41

Boulder could have had her a zombie again. She was a shell at Princes. I’m glad he didn’t touch her. Carmen got her talking up there. I wasn’t sure about sending her with Alder. He told her she was moving and she had a new job. His delivery could be taken as hard.”

I nod. “She loves him. He knew to give her what’s happening and how it would work. She just needs the changes before they happen. She was scared today but Brad told her what was happening until he went down. Boulder scared her. Brekan showing was good. He’s familiar and she knew he’d keep them safe.”

“Do we need someone besides Brad for their teams. They have four now. Do they trust the other teams?” He’s concerned. I love hearing that everyone matters.

“Ryder is Lead for the second Baxter team. Garren likes him. He’s good on the computer too. They don’t have a problem with the others or I haven’t heard a complaint. I’ve noticed they don’t get close.”

Falcon leans forward. “Boulder is good with the Alpha-Bits. He isn’t close to them again. He doesn’t get autism or Fragile X. I thought Harper was going to shoot him. He kept saying she’s a dead eye. Harper said Garren is too and she’d ask for him to demonstrate if he didn’t shut the fuck up.”

I laugh. I can see that. “Seren pulled her away,” Brekan says as if that fixed it.

I don’t want Boulder on them. Cort says it for me. I watch Alexia laugh at something Carmen said. She’s fine again. Since she’s been here, I’ve seen how she calms herself, I’ve seen her determination to keep going and I’ve seen her confidence grow. I just need to keep her safe. I can’t believe she’d jump into training to keep our new brothers safe. She did it phenomenally. I never want her to do it again.

“You okay, Brother?”

I look at Raid. “Yeah. We need to find the reason so she’s never put in that position again. Justice is on it now. I’ll jump in later when she’s sleeping. The money is coming from everywhere. Brantley said they’ve dealt with shit like this before. It took them years to figure it out. I’m not waiting fucking years. This has to be connected to her father. Hannah is getting the backstory there.”

Justice shows behind Raid’s chair. “Come walk with me, Brother.”

This looks serious so I get up looking at Alexia signing that I’ll be a few minutes. She signs she’s staying with the women. That pisses me off but I smile for her. She should feel safe in our house, or the compound that’s on miles of land in the middle of the Clubs.

We walk out the gate and onto the road. “Her Dad is the Director. His half sister raised Alexia. Her mom died a few weeks after she was born. He was a high-level spy for the FBI, not the Director at the time. His wife was targeted. Commander Saber took her for his unit not knowing she was the Director’s kid. She’s that good. Because of Télia, he understood high functioning autism. Alexia has what’s called Asperger’s syndrome, it’s different than Télia although they share similar reactions. Because it’s lumped in with the autism spectrum, that’s how she’s labeled. People don’t use the term Asperger’s anymore. If you look it up, you’ll find better information than straight autism. Most of that doesn’t apply to Alexia.”

I nod noting the word to look up. “We’re not walking because she has Asperger’s and not autism, or now autism but high functioning.”

He nods. “Her aunt wasn’t happy to be saddled with a kid that wasn’t outgoing or even what she considered normal. When Alexia finished school earlier than expected, the aunt bailed. Alexia was moved to Quantico and worked from her room. It was like a dorm. She didn’t leave that dorm until she went to Providence. She did work in an office after she turned eighteen but didn’t leave the building much. She never knew the Director was her father. I don’t think she ever talked to the guy. He was protecting her. She’s never talked to her aunt again. With Asperger’s, not keeping in touch is common. She wouldn’t have felt the loss. From what I’ve read from her, she connects with Télia and Garren, now you. She has friends in Providence but doesn’t miss them like you’d think. Because of how you’ve grown up, you wouldn’t see that as