Chapter 9 #2
His large hand wraps around one of mine as he tugs me up the path to the saloon. I walk beside him, but keep looking at him. He’s really good at hiding what he’s feeling, and right now I’m not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse.
He pushes the door open with his free hand and pauses. I turn to see what has him frowning and find my daughter with her hands up in a fighting stance, a fierce look on her face as Havoc, G, Toot, and Circus lie out on the ground.
“What the heck is going on here?”
Probe, who is standing on the other side of the room, making a cross sign with his fingers, glares up at me. “Your daughter is a menace.”
I grin. “Thank you.”
He grins before he cracks up laughing. “She’s single-handedly taken down some of the club’s best men. I see an enforcer position in her future.”
“Do not put ideas into my daughter’s head,” I warn him, moving toward Star, who looks up when she senses me. She drops her hands before grinning widely and launching herself at me.
“Oof, you nearly took me down, too. You can tell someone’s been eating all their vegetables,” I tease as I pick her up and rub my nose against hers. “You have fun with Uncle Havoc?” I look around at all the men looking at her with affection. “Well, with all your uncles?”
She nods rapidly before wriggling to get down. Once she’s on her feet, she hauls herself over to Ambros, who wastes no time picking her up and swinging her around.
I turn back to the guys. “Thank you for entertaining her.”
Toot jumps up. “Are you kidding me? This is the most fun I’ve had since—” Mac appears out of nowhere and covers Toot’s mouth with his hand, smothering his words, making me laugh.
“I thought she’d be with Nevaeh by now.”
“She went with Nevaeh first. I had to steal her away. She’s such a hog,” Havoc mutters, making G laugh.
“Hey, Citi, good to see you.”
“You too, G.” I look around, not sure what to say now. Small talk was never my strong point.
Havoc jumps in. “Before you take off, Nevaeh wanted me to send you over to her.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, she just wants to talk to you in private about something.”
“Okay…” I turn back to Ambros.
“Go. I’ve got princess here.”
I nod and look at Havoc.
“She’s in my office. You remember where that is?”
“Yeah. I’ll be right back.”
I head off to find my sister, nodding to a passing club girl who frowns at me. “Well, okay then.”
I knock on Havoc’s door before pushing it open. Nevaeh doesn’t even look up. I call her name and get zero response, so I creep up behind her and shake her shoulders, making her spin around with a scream.
“Son of a hippopotamus. You scared the dickens out of me,” she yells, yanking out her earphones.
“I’ve never heard those words used in that context before.”
“Stick with me, sister of mine, and you’ll learn lots of awesome new things.”
“Is that right?” I drawl, moving to sit in the vacant chair opposite the desk.
“Yup.”
“How is it, I’m the one who spent over a decade locked away, and yet you’re the one with the vocabulary of a six-year-old?”
“First of all, that’s a lie. I’m an author. That makes me Miss Wordy McWordisen.”
“Ironically, McWordisen is not a word,” I butt in. Of course, she ignores me.
“Secondly, I don’t swear because I’m convinced Dad has me bugged somehow. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has God spying on me.”
“Right, like he wouldn’t be too busy trying to feed the hungry or, I don’t know, end war.”
“He sees everything,” she hisses.
“Dad or God?”
“Does it matter?”
“The psychiatrist at the local asylum probably thinks so.”
“Wait, we have a local asylum?”
I steeple my fingers, marveling at how Havoc can spend more than ten minutes with my sister without wanting to jump out a window.
“Havoc said you wanted to see me?”
“I did? Oh, right, I did. You know that school you were looking at?”
“The one with the red and grey uniforms?”
“No, the other one.”
“The one with the donkey mascot?”
“No, the other one. And who has a donkey for a mascot? That’s just weird.”
“Not sure why a bunch of first graders need a mascot, full stop. But what do I know?”
“Not much, apparently.”
I kick her in the shins, making her scowl. “You’re mean.”
“And you’re annoying. Which school are you talking about, Nevaeh?”
“The fancy one for kids like Star.”
“Do you mean the private one where I would have to sell a kidney and my spleen on the black market to afford a space?”
“Yes. That one. They have classes for gifted and talented students, right? And for those who need a little extra assistance?”
“I think that they have a class for pretty much everything, which isn’t surprising given how much that place costs.”
“Yeah, about that—”
“Neveah…”
“Look,” she takes my hands in hers and squeezes them. “This is the one. I saw what you and Star were like after you visited the place. None of the others elicited any kind of reaction unless it was in the negative.”
“It’s too expensive. I can’t afford it.”
“But I can. And before you interrupt me again, I want to do this. I missed out on all of Star’s birthdays and Christmases and over a decade of yours. I’m in a fortunate position to be able to do this, one where neither of us will have to sell our organs. Please let me do this for Star.”
I blow out a wobbly breath, not sure what to say. Pride makes me want to refuse. It’s not her job to take care of me or Star, but will I really sacrifice Star’s happiness so I can feel better about myself? No. There isn’t much I won’t do for that little girl.
I feel my face flush as I nod, looking away. “Thanks, Nevaeh.”
“No, don’t do that. You have nothing to feel bad about here. Besides, can you honestly tell me that if the roles were reversed, that you wouldn’t do the same?”
Dammit, she’s got me there. “Alright, point taken. She needs this. And this place, it was amazing, Nevaeh.”
“And after everything she’s been through, she deserves the best.”
“Yeah, she does.” I smile, pulling my hands free and leaning back.
“What about you? Once we get Star sorted, what do you want to do?”
I shrug. “Ambros is teaching me how to fight.”
“I know. And that reminds me, the girls and I are coming to do a class, now that our schedules are all synced up. But fighting aside, you need something else.”
I rub my hand over my face and sigh. “I don’t know, Nevaeh. I’ve been in survival mode for so long.”
“You have to start somewhere. You already survived, so survival mode is redundant.”
“I should probably start with my GED.”
“See, there you go. That’s a perfect leaping point.”
“Maybe, but I have big holes in my education, Nevaeh. Math and science in particular. I’d go back to school if I didn’t think I might encounter the same issues as Star did.”
“What about a tutor?”
I rub my jaw in thought. A tutor wouldn’t be so bad. Yes, it’s embarrassing needing the help, but logically, I know I have no reason to be ashamed. In the same breath, I know if I want to stand any chance at helping Star later down the line with her homework, then I need to get my shit figured out.
“Okay. So I need a tutor. Any idea where I might find one?”
She grins. “Leave it with me.”