Chapter Forty – Easton
The trip had been so fucking hard on Molly.
Even though Bash allowed Easton to get a van to transport her, the distance between Salt Lake City and Hortensia was long and grueling, made worse by the unforgiving pace Bash set.
They’d arrived at Celia’s early Friday morning.
Bash demanded Easton accompany him, Cleaner, and Wally, Jr., even though he’d also decided to send Easton and Molly to a motel.
He didn’t want Celia involving herself in the Molly situation. And Easton saw no opportunity to clue his aunt in and campaign for her help.
Everything during the hour after they arrived in Hortensia had been about Meggie.
According to Bash, he’d already decided Meggie’s fate after watching her meeting with Celia in real time. Her words, her bravery, and the respect she showed his sister made an impression on him. Then, when he heard Celia say that she liked Meggie, he knew she was safe.
“Wouldn’t have done her anything anyway,” he’d announced. “Because of Kendall.”
Easton thought Bash had been fucking with him when he’d first said that, considering how fast he’d flipped and said he’d kill her because of what Charlotte said. Of course, Easton was the stupid motherfucker for putting credence into anything Bash said. Unstable fuckheads couldn’t be trusted.
Early this morning, Bash summoned Easton to Celia’s.
Apparently, Wally, Jr. had slipped away.
Bash didn’t care, although Easton worried that he intended to look for answers regarding Eliza.
Or just seek retribution. If Bash had wanted Cleaner to stay with Molly while Easton went with him, Easton probably wouldn’t have left Molly in that motherfucker’s care.
The fact that Bash needed help choosing roses floored both Easton and Cleaner for different reasons.
Cleaner seemed appalled at Bash’s softened attitude.
Easton hadn’t realized how much Bash wanted to impress Kendall.
Yes, he was a little obsessed with her, but he was also different when he talked about her.
Easton just hoped Kendall didn’t offend him much. At all. Fuck. Much. He didn’t want her to bore him either. That would be just as bad.
Molly groaned. She was lying next to him on the bed, since they’d only had a king-sized room. Ratty and rundown, the bedding was threadbare and stained. A musty odor hung in the air. It couldn’t be healthy for her, but Bash promised it was almost over.
She groaned again.
Scooting down, Easton pulled her into his arm and tucked her into his side. It always calmed her down. Right now was no different.
The medication Randolph got for her had eased her. If Bash had allowed him to accompany them, Easton would’ve sent him on the hunt for more. But Randolph went in one direction when they got on the road and they’d gone in another.
“It hurts,” Molly mumbled weakly, burning up.
“It’ll soon be over, sweetheart,” Easton swore.
She settled back into a restless sleep. He wanted to get a little shut eye as well. However, he couldn’t help but think that if Bash really meant to return Molly, he would’ve allowed Easton to bring her to Kendall’s office during their meeting.
He wasn’t sure what…
Rory came to mind. Easton hated to involve the kid, but he didn’t want to leave Molly or take her to the office without Bash’s permission. He didn’t give a fuck about his repercussions. Bash, though, would kill her because of Easton’s actions.
She was too fucking close to freedom. Back in Hortensia.
Easton could always drive her to the office and go tell Kendall he’d returned Molly. Or not. If Bash was unhappy with the meeting and Easton disobeyed him, a bloodbath could happen.
Bash was so fucking difficult to read. Vulnerable and murderously insane didn’t make for a good combination. Easton tried to reach inside him and tap into the part of himself he only showed Aunt Celia. It worked as long as Cleaner didn’t get in Bash’s head.
Sighing again, Easton grabbed his phone and dialed Rory’s number.
“Easton?”
“Is there any way you can get to Kendall’s office, kid?”
“Molly’s there?”
Easton didn’t want to get the kid hurt. If he gave up Molly’s location and Bash returned while Rory was there, he might not respond in the best way. This was such a clusterfuck. “Bash is just as planned. If you can get there and talk to him, he might have answers for you.”
“I have…do you think he’ll be there in an hour?”
“I don’t know, Rory.”
“If I could, I’d leave now, b-but I…my sister and me are trying to cook a meal for Mom. And…fuck. I’ll try to speed things up.”
“Do that, kid. See you around.”
Easton didn’t wait for a response before he ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket.
Someone pounded on his door.
“Fuck.”
It was either Cleaner or Wally, Jr., since they both knew his location. Easton didn’t want to see either of those fuckheads.
Another pound disturbed Molly.
Scowling, he moved his arm from under her head and stalked to the door, throwing the thin wood open and glaring at Cleaner.
“I thought you’d stay with Bash,” Easton grumbled, allowing the motherfucker to enter, then turned and headed back to the bed, leaving it up to that asshole to close the fucking door.
The slam was unnecessarily hard. “He sent me away,” Cleaner said, anger threading the words. “He said you’d probably think I would intimidate that cunt.”
Easton sat on the edge of the bed, angling himself in front of Molly. “You would.”
“Fuck that cunt.” Cleaner mean-mugged Easton. “And fuck you. Bash has lost his fucking mind. Between you and Celia, you’re turning him into a sad sap.”
“If you don’t like it, talk to him.” If he allowed the asshole to intimidate him, he’d never fucking have peace. “Bash does what the fuck he wants. You know that, Cleaner.”
“What I know is that cunt behind you wasn’t even a fucking consideration. We fucked her when we wanted and how we wanted. Suddenly, you had something to say and he shot the fuck out of Tom, then gave her to you.”
“What the fuck did this girl do to you, motherfucker?” Easton snapped. “Not a fucking thing. She never should’ve been there.”
“Says you.”
“Fuck. Yeah. I fucking say it. Somebody had to stand up for her.”
Cleaner didn’t respond. He just contemplated Easton in silence.
Easton hoped the motherfucker would leave and wait for Bash somewhere else.
“Bash is going to thank me for this later,” Cleaner said with a long-suffering sigh.
“What…?”
Smiling, Cleaner took his gun out of his cut, aimed it at Easton and pulled the trigger.