“Already done.” Henry came over and put her hand on my shoulder. “Dick made that call first thing. He wanted them to have the information as soon as possible in case it helped.”
“Thanks. To you both.”
“Listen. I asked Dick to get your mom out of here for a little while because I think you should consider staying with us until this guy is found.” Henry sat across from me. She rubbed my shin with her lips pushed to the side. “She wants you to live with her or have her live here with you.”
I knew my eyes were wide as saucers at the mention. “She’d drive me insane. No.” That was not going to be something I could do. I needed Mom in small doses.
“So that’s why I think Dick and I are a great answer. I mean, he’s freaking scary. And massive. And half the animals we have would attack a stranger. It’s a safe place for you to be.” Henry smiled.
I let the offer settle. My first impulse was to say yes. Mom would make me more nervous so she wasn’t an option.
“Thanks again. Let me think about it.” I smiled back at her.
I guarded this life I’d made for myself. Living with Henry and Dick would give in to the fear I was having, and I didn’t get this far by quitting on courage.
I’d think about it, but I would say no. Even if I had to stay up all night with the lights on, this would be my home, and I wasn’t letting fear take that from me.
I was tough. Probably tougher than most. Hell, I was fighting fear when I was a little kid. My first victory was sleeping with the lights off without a “might night”.
When I woke up that morning, my mom and dad were still together and we celebrated like I won a gold medal at the Olympics.
Before Dick and Henry left, I thanked them for their offer but declined it with hugs.
Mom didn’t leave and I knew she wouldn’t. After the door closed behind them, she started in.
“Well, you’ll stay with me then.” She looked pretty this morning. The walk with Dick had put color in her cheeks.
“I love you, Mom.” I knew she wanted to have me somewhere so she could sleep at night. And I appreciated that I had someone who would be very concerned.
“Oh, sweetheart. You know I love you too. It’d just be temporary. Dick’s such a big, burly man. I mean, he would have been a great catch for you—I’m just saying.” She put her manicured hands in the air when I gave her a look.
I didn’t tell her that we thought the dude was serial killer for a while. She wouldn’t care. He had money and he was nice. Husband material.
“Are you visiting with Alton today? He was concerned. He keeps texting me for updates. He’s very keen on you.” My mother started straightening my throw pillows. I looked toward my guest room. The door was closed. I had considerably more stuffed animals than the last time she’d been in that room. Now was not the time for a lecture on my little addiction.
“What’s your plan for today, Mom?” In just a few hours I’d have to start getting ready for work.
She filled me in on her trip to the gym and the hairdresser in the afternoon. We talked a little about the attack, but I wanted her to see how strong I could be so she wouldn’t worry. When it was time for me to get ready, she stood and embraced me.
“Make sure to call Alton, but if you are going to FaceTime him, wear makeup.”
I let her have the last word because I knew her stress was probably overwhelming this week. I took a long shower with the curtain open and the fan off. Another failure to fear, but I wanted to be able to hear. My knees somehow looked worse. They were getting colorful. The bruise on my back had less surface area and luckily could be hidden. Tonight’s costume was a red number. The corset on the back was fake, with a zipper up the side, so I didn’t have to wait for Henry to help me get into it at the bar.
I had tall red high heels with rhinestones all over them. They were the least comfortable, so they’d be a great choice for tonight. I’d be able to kick them off behind the bar. I painted my face a little. Just a hint of a skull along with cat eye makeup. My reflection made me think of Nix. How sweet he’d been. Until he’d ditched me at the last minute.
Of course I had no right to get angry. He was helpful and kind, and he made sure Animal would walk Henry and me to our cars. But still.
I was entitled to a little overreacting. I painted my lips red to match my dress. It was time to go. I double-checked all the locks on my windows and twisted the knob on my door to make sure it was locked.
The ride over was uneventful, and I made sure to park near Henry to make walking out later easier.
I clicked the button on my remote and heard the satisfying honk that let me know my car was secure. I made it through the door without feeling any creepy crawlies on my spine, so I took that as a good sign. After Clarissa admitted me, I saw that Henry had her matching outfit on. We did the same thing as the day before, snapping a selfie and putting it on Meme’s social media. Friday nights were usually a pretty decent crowd, but we were expecting really good numbers based on yesterday’s showing.
“How are you doing?” Henry took the chance to give me a hug being that we were already smooshed close together.
“Good. Mom stayed for a while, and now I’m here. Thanks again for staying last night. I’ll be good tonight, though. No more fear is allowed.” I fluffed Henry’s hair for her.
“Let’s hold off on those decisions and see how tonight goes. Dick and I are happy to help.” Henry gave me her sympathy eyes and I knew she meant it.
“It’s cool. Nothing a little Off-Season Day of the Dead can’t fix.” I started prepping behind the bar.
When I glanced out the window, we still had fifteen minutes until we opened and there was already a line.
“We’ve got a crowd out there!” I pointed it out to Henry and our co-workers. We were all abuzz with the showing so far. Tonight would be crazy busy, and I found myself thinking about Nix. Would he come here again? Would his makeup be different?
I flicked the lighter to make sure it had fuel in case he wanted to swallow more fire.
16
DÉJÀ VU
Fenix
Tonight I wore a gray Henley and black jeans. My boots were, well, my old beat-up boots and they were almost always my choice. I spent time in the mirror, looking at this face I’d created.
So I didn’t have to stare at my father’s face every morning.
Animal knocked on my door.
“Come in.” I didn’t tell him how glad I was he was here for this. He knew I would need support to meet Becca again. I’d wanted this for so long.
I heard my bed creak as the big man sat down.
“How was the real, live girl?”
I looked in the mirror at the reflection of Animal stretched out on my bed.
How was it?
Incredible. Life-changing. Better than I imagined. And that scared me.
“Good.”
His deep laugh echoed off the walls of my bedroom.
“Baby, you were out of your mind happy. I’ve never seen you so happy. Well, there was the once.”
The laughter stopped.
The happiest day of my life was when my father left. When Merck, the cop, was able to do exactly what he promised.
Animal had been with me when I’d walked to my house to see what was happening. The front door had been hanging open when my lanky thirteen-year-old body walked through the destroyed old house where my mother had died years before.
Animal was taller than almost all of the adults in town by then, at fifteen. He’d stayed with me because we’d connected. However Animal had made the decision that I was worth following, I’d never found out. When I toured the abandoned place, he was a silent guard.
All the holes in the walls. The unkempt lawn. I’d spared a glance outside to where I thought my mother’s grave was. Felt the pain that had always accompanied the regret. The loss of her. I’d left the house as it had been, taking nothing and damn near sprinting to Ember’s house. Halfway there, Animal ha
d spotted two bikes for us to “borrow”. When we’d got there, my aunt had been walking Ember up the driveway, holding her hand.
I’d almost wrecked my bike with the relief that my sister was okay. My aunt had had nothing to do with me in the recent past, but frowned at me when she made the connection.
I’d had to tell her something. Tip her off. To be careful of my father even though he’d left.
I’d parked my bike at the end of the driveway and stuffed my hands into my pockets. Animal had hung back, absorbing the whole scene, no doubt.
“Hey, uh, my father left town.”
I’d watched as she sized me up. Ember had waved at me. I’d waved back.
“I don’t have any room here. I’m sorry.”
She’d thought I’d been looking for a home, so I’d shaken my head. “No. Just know that he’s gone. So you know. I have a place to stay.”
I remember not knowing if that was true. Never once had the image of living with my sister cross my mind.
Now as an adult I realize how thoroughly I’d been rejected. But not then.
My aunt had replied, “It’s for the best. You stay where you are, and we’ll be here.”
“Of course. Yeah. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.” I’d pedaled backwards a bit. Ember hadn’t stopped waving. I had given her a smile and wiggled my fingers.
I’d heard Ember asking my aunt who I was. Who my friend was.
My aunt had hurried her inside, not providing an answer. I’d wondered if my aunt was afraid of me then. Animal’s hand had clamped down on my shoulder. With wisdom that far outweighed his time on the planet, he’d offered, “You been through some shit.”
I’d shrugged. “She’s good, though.”
“Your sister?”
“Half-sister,” I clarified.
“Blood is blood. She’s cute. Seems like a safe place for her.” Animal had motioned with his head that we should go back to the home.
“That’s the plan. Safe.” I’d turned my bike around.
When I’d locked eyes with Animal, he’d nodded at me.
The same eyes met mine in the mirror now. “Your whole life you’ve been making sure you were watching out for someone else. Maybe you get some straight happiness now.”
I shrugged again, like I had so many years ago. My future. My feelings. They were less important than others. I could bury them. I had buried them.
“What about you?” I flipped the script on my friend. “You ain’t got no roots. Nothing like you deserve.”
Animal rolled his eyes. “You a damn psychologist now, sweetness?”
“Are you?” I tossed back.
“You know you’re my family. That’s all I need.” Animal pounded my back.
He wasn’t lying. I was all he perceived as family.
“I’m shit at being someone’s everything. Maybe we need to get you locked down on one of your ladies.” I patted his face twice, lightening our mood. We were going out for crap’s sake.
Animal snickered. “I got to have a lot of choices in the bedroom. You know that. Players are players.”
I spritzed on a little cologne and gave the mirror the middle finger when Animal’s eyebrow lifted in response to the action.
He tried a different topic. “How are you holding up?”
I’d told him last night about Becca’s whiskey revelation. Animal knew the significance. Tracking whiskey was some of the ways we’d tried to find my father in the past.
“I think I should be out looking tonight. He’s in town. This is my stomping ground.” Anger rose from deep inside.
“I know you do, but the party at Meme’s that features your face is only three nights. Two left to go. Keep her safe and get to know her. This chance is destiny’s gift to you.” Animal grabbed past me and borrowed my cologne.
“Mm.” He had a point. I had to decide between revenge and potential romance.
Animal didn’t know I had a plan already. I would get to spend as much time as I could with Becca now, and then after the third night, I would disappear. I’d just be a guy she met with really great Day of the Dead makeup.
“Let’s go then. The bar opened thirty minutes ago. We’re wasting time.” Animal led the way out of the house.
“You taking the bike?”
In my garage I had three cars. The red sports car. A blue van. And a purple Hummer. I rarely took anything but the bike. But the cars mattered to me. Reminded me. Calmed me still.
“Let’s grab the Hummer. I haven’t run it in a while.” I grabbed the keys that matched from the hook by the door. Animal was wearing a white shirt and dark pants. Somehow putting more clothes on his muscles made him look even bigger.
After we were out of the garage and the door was closed behind us, Animal had some questions.
“What do we know about Feybi?”
He was referring to my Internet sleuthing.
“Well, he’s looking for me.”
“That’s not smart.”
I agreed. “He won’t find me, at least not the way he’s going about it.” I stopped at a red light and looked over at Animal. “I’ve got some concerns about Christina’s dad, Rick. I was dipping into files from when he was a juvenile and found a few concerning things that went down.”
“Really now?” Animal tapped his fingertips together.
“Yeah. Looks like Rick borrowed money from the family the Feybis were at war with and spent some time in jail as a teen. Couple that with the fact that Bat Feybi didn’t know that Christina was a My Little Pony fan and I think there’s something off in the whole situation. Grandfathers should know that shit. The mother, Katie, cleared the scene of Feybi’s guys when I returned with her daughter. I thought then it was a natural reaction to calm Christina, but now I’m not so sure. I wonder if she had a bad taste in her mouth from her husband’s past?”
I took off at the green.
“The tangled webs we weave,” Animal offered.
“Yeah. There are dots to connect. I just have to figure them out.”
Three more turns and we were pulling into a very crowded Meme’s parking lot.
I put the Hummer in park and turned off the engine. “Anything on him?”
I didn’t have to clarify. I was always talking about my father.
“Not a single thing. I’m sorry, baby.” I watched Animal in my peripheral vision.
I didn’t make eye contact. “Thanks.”
“We’ll get him. He’s here, somewhere.”
I looked at the neon sign at Meme’s. My father and I had a woman in common. He hated her. I loved her. I felt a wave of déjà vu.
I was strong this time. The result would be different. Becca would live through his obsessions, unlike my mom.
Animal and I got out of the Hummer, and I felt the nerves lodge in my throat like a ninja star.
What if she figured me out? Figured out my ink? Figured out who I was? I took a deep inhale and opened the door. Despite the loud music and all the people in between us, Becca saw me, and a welcoming smile spread on her face. Like she’d been waiting for that very second all day. Like she was waiting for me.
And just like that, my battered soul had wings.
~Becca~
Him.
I felt the electric zip from the back of my mind straight to my clitoris. He bit his bottom lip and then let his tongue peek out. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.
Henry plopped her tray in front of me and then turned her head to look where I was looking.
“Helllllll-o. Loook who’s back. He’s staring at you. Wait. No, he’s smoldering at you. No, that’s eye fucking. Jesus.”
I still had a smile as Henry started fanning her face.
“His sex appeal is off the charts. He’s simmering. For you. Lord. Dick is getting some tonight. Yes. Yes.”
She snapped her fingers. “You have to look away. Play a little coy.”
I listened to her, but his presence burned in my psyche. Everything in my body tingled knowing he was
watching me.
Henry’s eyes were wide. “He’s hotter than he was yesterday. My nipples are hard just thinking of you two boning each other.”
I shushed her as he walked toward me.
He and Animal took a seat at the bar. I went over to Animal first, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks again for walking us to our cars last night.”
His deep reply was immediate. “Anytime. I’ll give you my number so you can text me.”
I felt shy to speak to him. I looked everywhere but at his eyes for a few beats. When I finally did, he was tapping his cheek with a look that was clearly asking for the same reception Animal had received from me.
“Well, he waited for me.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest.
He answered my sass with a frown and sparkling eyes. “I understand. I see how it is.”
There was such heat between us, it was like the words we were speaking didn’t make a damn difference.
Henry shook her head. “Hard nipples.”
I swatted at her. “What’s your order? You’re a troublemaker.”
She winked. “Well, I think I need you to design me two Troublemakers for our friends here and these are the rest of the orders.”
She passed me a piece of paper with the orders written down. Normally, we didn’t need to record them, but with a crowd this big, we tossed that habit to the wind. We were just hanging on.
I front-loaded Animal’s and Nix’s drinks, adding fire to them both because I wanted another reason to flirt.
When I put Nix’s down in front of him, he kept his eyes on mine and covered the flame with his hand to put it out.
Sweet Jesus.
Animal started laughing and elbowing Nix. “Baby, you fireproof now?”
Nix smiled and a dimple distracted me from his elaborate face paint. “Tonight I am, wiseass. You’re ruining the mood I’m trying to set here.”
Making the next batch of drinks for Henry was my focus, so I kept my head down while they continued their banter.
I set up a tray and placed the drinks carefully but quickly. Henry leaned over the bar a bit when she was picking up the tray.
“You’re into him.” She gave Nix a side-eye.
Mercy Page 10