Chapter 11
HOPE
My body is sore in all the right places, and I’m definitely not complaining.
Spending the day with Styxx in his bed is totally worth it.
Though, I hated the thought of leaving it and going to work.
I wanted to stay right where we were. It was like we were in our own little bubble, and nothing could get through.
Only we had to get my sister from school and pick up his daughter. Doing this with Styxx is strange. I’m not sure how to handle it. I could pretend we were a family doing normal family things, but we weren’t that.
Sure, Styxx said what he said and wants to protect me, however, that doesn’t make me his. I knew that if I pretended to be his, he would shatter and tear me to pieces after this was over, making it the worst thing I could do.
“You okay?” Styxx asks, pulling me from my thoughts while navigating his truck through the school pick-up line.
“I’m fine.” I nearly cringe at the use of that word. I hate when others use that F word with me.
“So when you say you’re fine, you really mean you’re not.” He chuckles and moves us up a few feet. “Is it always this bad in the afternoons?”
“This isn’t as bad as it’s been,” I tell him with a small giggle. “I’ve learned to come at an earlier time so I’m not waiting twenty plus minutes just to get this far. Thankfully, with Promise being in the high school, the line moves faster than it’s been known to do.”
“When she gets her license, you won’t have to worry about this part at all,” he points out.
“Yeah, that will be a blessing, but I’ll hate it because it means she’s growing up that much more. I don’t like the idea of her getting older. I’ve raised her since she was nine, and before that, we were always close. I’d help my parents with her in every way I could.”
“Sounds like a true big sister to me,” Styxx murmurs, nodding.
“Yeah,” I whisper, looking out the passenger window. “She’s all I have left.”
“I get it. Scythe and me were just kids, Isabelle was a baby, when we lost our parents. I don’t even remember them anymore.
If it weren’t for our aunt and uncle, we wouldn’t have the stories to talk about.
They give us that. They also kept our family cabin in shape until my brother and I could do it ourselves.
I go to it sometimes, but Scythe takes Josephine more.
Granted, they haven’t been since Auggie was born. ”
I nod and look at him. “Losing your parents was hard on you.”
“Losing them was something I don’t wish on anyone. But it killed me not knowing where Isabelle was over the years.”
“I’d never be able to forgive myself if something happened to Promise.” The very thought of it makes my heart ache. I’d hate myself for not protecting her.
“Nothing will happen to your sister, and if it does, I’ll see to it that she’s brought back to you. I promise you that. The shit the club’s been through over the years, we’ve learned to always keep those who are ours close.”
“What do you mean?” I turn in my seat to watch him closely.
Styxx glances at me briefly before answering me.
“We’ve dealt with people in the past who have wanted to hurt those we care about.
Ivy, Josephine, and the others could explain it a lot better from their perspectives, but we’ve dealt with crazed people after them, jealous women, kidnappings, and all that shit.
The last thing any of us wants is for anyone to go through what they’ve been through.
It’s a bunch of bullshit, and I won’t let your uncle get anywhere near you or your sister without a fight. ”
My heart thumps in my chest as hope blooms within me. While my brain screams caution, the rest of me wants to leap into his arms and hold on for dear life.
I find myself at a loss for words, so I express my gratitude by leaning over the center console and kissing his cheek.
“I’ll take that as your thank you,” Styxx murmurs with a grin as he reaches over to squeeze my thigh and take my hand in his. “You got nothing to thank me for, but I’ll take your kisses anyway I can get them.”
Moving forward in the line, I scan the area, looking for Promise, but I don't see her where she normally is. “Where is she?” I mutter to myself more than Styxx. “She’s usually standing near the flagpole waiting with her friends. Her friends are there, but she’s not.”
“Hold on,” Styxx grunts and pulls out of line to park in an open spot. “We’ll go look for her.”
My stomach twists as fear starts to edge in after the conversation Styxx and I had earlier regarding my uncle. I don’t like the fact that he knows where we live, and I hadn’t even told him. It’s not like we’re not listed, but we literally just moved a handful of weeks ago.
Styxx and I get out of the truck, meeting at the front of it where he takes my hand and together make our way up to the school and inside. The woman who sits at the front desk smiles at me.
“Hey ya, Hope,” she greets and looks to Styxx, then back to me. “Promise is in the office waiting with the assistant principal.”
“Why?” I blurt out, my heart racing. “Did something happen?”
“I’ll let Mr. Allen fill you in.”
I nod, rush to the office, and inside, Styxx is right behind me.
“Hope,” Mr. Allen greets, his features stoic and looking ready to murder. “I’m sorry for not having contacted you, but it was nearing the end of the day, and we knew you’d be here soon.”
“Are you okay?” I ask, looking at my sister, assessing for myself that she wasn’t hurt.
“I’m okay,” Promise murmurs, her bottom lip wavering.
“There was a situation about twenty minutes ago, and we thought it best to keep her in here until you got here,” Mr. Allen mutters, looking between Styxx and me.
“What happened?” Styxx demands.
“You are?” Mr. Allen asks, focusing on Styxx.
“This is my umm . . .” How do I explain what Styxx and I are when I don’t even know?
“I’m Brian Hayes, Hope’s man,” Styxx states, interrupting me.
“Right.” Mr. Allen nods, looking between both of us.
“As I was saying, there was a situation this afternoon where we decided it was best for Promise to stay inside until you arrived. A man came up here claiming to be her uncle and was picking her up. Said it was okay with you and that you were aware of him being here.”
“I didn’t authorize for anyone to pick her up today.” No one was allowed to pick my sister up from school. Though I allowed Styxx and his sister-in-law to pick her up after games, I’ve been the one to always take her home right after school.
“As Mrs. Gramble had assured me. We had security escort him off the property and made sure Promise came straight to the office to wait for you.”
“Did the guy give his name?” Styxx asks.
“Ronald Hall.”
“That’s our uncle Ron, but he’s not allowed to pick her up.”
“Why would Uncle Ron want to pick me up? I don’t even know him like that,” Promise utters quietly.
“I don’t know.” I move to my sister and give her a squeeze, assuring myself she’s okay. “But we’ll find out.”
“I think for the time being, you should stay inside, and your sister will come in to get you,” Mr. Allen advises.
“Hope and I will come get her together. Or someone else from the club will be with her,” Styxx declares.
I whip my head back and stare at him with wide eyes.
Styxx lowers his gaze to me. “Until I know what’s going on with your uncle, I’m not leaving either of you unprotected. Promise while at school is safe, but you aren’t. I’m keeping you close just as I told you I was going to.”
“Can we go now?” Promise asks.
“Yeah,” I murmur and move to her, pulling her close.
“Before you go, I’d like to assure you that we’ll keep our eyes out for Ronald Hall. If he shows up again on the premises, we’ll make sure the police are called.”
“Call them and then call me,” Styxx says, pulling out his wallet and a card. “Reach out to this number and one of them will get me on the line.”
Mr. Allen nods, taking the card from Styxx.
“Come on, girls, let’s go get Eabha and head home.”
Home?
Which home is he talking about? His or mine? I’m not even sure I want to go back to my place. Not without knowing what my uncle is up to. The thought of him showing up at my sister’s school scares me. Not just a little bit, but a whole hell of a lot. Why does he want her so much? I don’t get it.