Skid Row Kings Complete Series

by Winter Travers

  “Nope. I’m not getting up. I refuse to get out of this bed and be an adult,” Violet giggled next to me, her body shaking.

  “As much as I would like to join you in that, I think we’ll have to eat soon. I know my stomach is already growling to eat.” As if on cue, my stomach growled, and Violet was thrown into a fit of giggles.

  “Alright, I concede hunger.”

  “That’s mighty adult of you.”

  “Luke, get your ass out of bed. The hospital keeps calling, and they say they can only talk to you.” Mitch hollered as he pounded on my door.

  “Fuck,” I cursed as the world threatened to intrude on my perfect time with Violet. “I’ll be right there,” I yelled, tossing the blanket back and swung my feet out of bed and sat up. Violet trailed her hand down my back, tempting me to fall back into bed, but I knew I had to get up and take care of this shit.

  “I’ll get up and put coffee on,” she laughed as I playfully swatted her hand away. She was a damn distraction, but one of the good kinds.

  “That’s going to be kind of hard, Princess, seeing as we don’t have a coffee maker.” I looked over my shoulder to see Violet, who had her jaw dropped open, shocked.

  “I don’t think I can accept this. We have to break up.”

  “How about we go buy a coffee maker and then you don’t have to break up with me?”

  “Deal,” she said, jumping out of bed. She rummaged around on the floor, looking for her clothes with her ass in the air.

  “Keep waving your ass at me, and we’ll never make it out of this room. Phone calls and coffee makers be damned.”

  She stood up, her clothes clutched to her chest. “I really don’t think you understand the severity of this situation right now, Luke. You don’t have a coffee maker.”

  “This is going to be an issue for you, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. An issue you need to fix within the hour.”

  I stood up, grabbing my pants off the floor. “Alright, Princess needs her coffee,” I mumbled under my breath.

  “You did not just call me Princess.”

  I looked over my shoulder, her shirt half on, her head peeking out. “I call you Princess all the time.”

  “Not like that, though. Normally it’s sweet or sexy when you call me it. You just sounded, I don’t know, annoyed with me.”

  “I’m not annoyed, Violet. I just think your obsession with coffee is a bit crazy.”

  “Well, make sure I always have my coffee, and we won’t have a problem with my coffee crazy coming out.” She pulled her shirt on all the way, a wonky smile on her face. “Easy peasy.”

  “Princess, it’s a good thing I love you.”

  She shrugged her shoulders and pulled her pants on. “And the reason I’m giving you the time to get the coffee maker is because I love you, too.”

  “Luke, can you open the damn door and take the fucking phone. They keep calling the damn shop, and I’m trying to work on the Challenger. Plus, if I have to listen to you and Violet bicker about a damn coffee maker anymore I’m not liable for what I’ll do.”

  “I think you better open the door.”

  I opened the door, grabbing the phone out of Kurt’s hand and slammed the door in his face. “You’re welcome, asshole,” Kurt called.

  “Hello?” I said into the phone as I watched Violet sit on the edge of the bed and pile all her hair on top of her head.

  “Mr. Jensen? This is Mel from Grace Hospital. I’m calling about your aunt.”

  “Is there something wrong?”

  “Well, yes. She’s insisting on leaving, but on her chart, it says she is supposed to be leaving for rehab in the morning.”

  “Don’t let her leave.”

  “I hate to say it Mr. Jensen, but we can’t force her to stay.”

  “Tell her she’ll never see Frankie again if she leaves. Call me if she still leaves, but I have a feeling I won’t be talking to you anymore today.”

  “She’s very adamant about leaving, but we’ll let her know what you said. I’ll phone you when she leaves.” I hung the phone up and tossed it on the bed.

  “What’s wrong?” Violet asked, her eyes on me as I grabbed a shirt out of my dresser.

  “Bev is being Bev. She’s trying to leave. I told her last night if she didn’t straighten her shit out, she would never see Frankie again. In order to straighten her shit out, she needs to go to rehab. She’s trying to leave right now.”

  “So, you just had the nurse nicely remind her that no rehab, no Frankie.”

  I walked over to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. “Yup. I know this shit isn’t going to be easy for her, but she needs to do it.”

  “If she loves Frankie like she says she does, she’ll stay, Luke.” Her hand cradled my face, her eyes shining up at me. “Don’t worry, handsome.”

  I turned my head, pressing a kiss to her hand and stepped back. “Phone call done, now time for a coffee maker for my Princess.”

  “Do you think we could stop by my place on the way? Clean clothes would be good.”

  “You’re going to have to start packing a bag Princess, or just bring some clothes over to keep here.”

  “I’ll think I’ll just stick with a pack a bag right now. Bringing clothes over seems like a big step, Luke.”

  “I already love you, Vi. I think you bringing clothes over is just a small detail right now.”

  “How about we discuss this when I’ve had at least three cups of coffee, and I feel human?”

  I shook my head, grabbed the phone off the bed and grabbed Violet around her waist and pulled her to me. “Clean clothes, coffee maker, then we discuss you moving in.”

  She rolled her eyes, not saying a word, but I knew it was going to be a fight getting her to move in. “Clean clothes, coffee maker, and then you talk to Frankie. We’ll save the whole moving in thing to oh, next year?” she giggled, pressing a kiss to my lips. She slipped out of my arms, opening the door and slipped out down the hall. “Oh, Luke,” she called. “You might want to put a shirt on.”

  I glanced down, the phone in one hand and my shirt in the other.

  “Smartass,” I mumbled.

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  Chapter 28

  Violet

  “It’s not healthy, you know.”

  I held my fresh cup of coffee up to my nose and inhaled deeply. “What’s not healthy?” If Luke was about to tell me that coffee wasn’t healthy, I was going to beat him over the head with my coffee cup.

  We had gotten back from the store over an hour ago after Luke had insisted on buying the same coffee maker he had bought me before. I had insisted he was crazy and that I could just bring my coffee maker over with me, even though that would have been super inconvenient, but he still bought that damn coffee maker.

  “Your obsession with coffee is not healthy. I think you look at your coffee with more love than you do me.”

  I took a sip, the first taste of perfectly brewed coffee heaven. “I love you both equally.” Luke walked over, taking the cup out of my hands and set it on the counter.

  He leaned against the counter and pulled me into his arms. “You better love me a hell of a lot more than your coffee.” He pulled my hair back off my shoulder and buried his face in my neck.

  “Hmm, but do you love me more than your car?” I laughed.

  His body shook as he chuckled, and I could feel him smile against my neck as he kissed me. “I love you both equally,” he mimicked me.

  “Oh crap, sorry.” I spun around, Luke’s arms still around me, and saw Frankie standing at the edge of the kitchen. She hadn’t been awake when Luke and I had headed to the store, so this was the first time we had seen her since last night. I had talked to her while Luke was taking care of his aunt, but Luke and Frankie still had a lot to talk about.

  “You hungry?” Luke asked. His arms pulled my back flush against his front, and he looked at Frankie over my shoulder.

  “Uh, yeah. But I can eat when you guys are
done.” She edged backward, ready to make her escape.

  “We’re not doing anything that you can’t be a part of, Frankie. Although if you start talking about coffee the way Vi does, we’re going to have a problem.”

  “Ass,” I mumbled, my elbow moving backward, hitting him in the gut.

  “I’ll just grab a bowl of cereal.”

  “Nonsense,” I said, pulling out of Luke’s arms. “I’ll make some lunch.”

  “Princess, you know how to cook something other than pop tarts and coffee?” I heard Frankie giggle, but I spun around and glared at Luke.

  “I’ll have you know I can cook grilled cheese and tomato soup like no one else.” OK, my cooking skills might be lacking a bit, but I could make the basics.

  “Well, cook on, Princess. If you need help opening that can of soup just holler.” I flipped him off, and he threw his head back, laughing and walked around to the other side of the island and sat down. “I’ll be here watching the show.”

  I shook my head and turned back to Frankie. “Go sit with your brother before I kill him.”

  Frankie shuffled over to the island and sat down next to Luke. Hopefully, Luke would realize this was a good time to talk to Frankie.

  After I had grabbed a frying pan from under the stove, I grabbed butter and cheese from the fridge and the bread from the pantry.

  “I’m sorry I yelled at you last night, Frank. I was mad at Bev, and I took it out on you.”

  “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t call you. I was trying to fix something I couldn’t.” I breathed a sigh of relief thankful that these two were talking.

  “Is Bev going to be OK? Kurt told me she is in the hospital.” I slathered butter on eight slices of bread, trying to act like I wasn’t here.

  “If she gets the help she needs she’ll be fine. Hopefully, she’ll go back to the Bev we knew before Mom died.”

  “I hope so. I miss Mom and know Bev does, too.”

  “She does, and I know she loves you, too, Frankie. She told me last night.”

  “Then why did she leave me alone all the time whenever I went over there. We would be having a good time and then she would just disappear. Usually, she would come back after an hour, but that last time I waited two hours, and she never came back.” I could hear the hurt in Frankie’s voice as she talked. It was always hard to understand why someone who claims to love you would hurt you.

  “You know you look just like mom, Frankie?” I turned around and saw Frankie nod her head. She had tears streaming down her face, and my heart broke for her all over again. “Well, I think Bev felt when you’re with her, you’re like a piece of Mom that she still has. But then I think it would hit her that you weren’t Mom, and she couldn’t handle it. She would go get high or drunk, trying to numb the hurt. But all it did was make it fade for a bit, but it would always come back. She doesn’t know how to handle losing Mom.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt her.” Frankie wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, and I turned back to the stove, turning it on and tried not to lose it.

  “You didn’t do anything wrong, Frankie. This is Bev’s problem that she needs to deal with, and if she ever wants to see you again, she needs to get better.” I set the pan on the burner and waited for it to heat up.

  I walked over to the pantry, grabbing two cans of tomato soup and set them next to the stove. “I miss Mom, too,” Frankie whispered.

  “I know. That’s why Violet and I were talking, and we think that you finding someone to talk to would be good.” I turned around and smiled at Violet, hoping she didn’t believe I betrayed her by telling Luke what we talked about.

  “I saw a therapist after my Mom passed away. Dr. Jones helped me through everything, but mostly he just listened.”

  “Why can’t I just talk to you or Violet? Why do I have to talk to someone who didn’t even know Mom.” Luke looked at me at a loss for words.

  I stepped forward and put my hands on the island. “Because sometimes, talking to someone who wasn’t there helps you to see things from a different perspective. I was so mad at my mom when she died because she left me all alone. Dr. Jones told me I had a right to be upset, but also helped me move past that.”

  “Will you come with me? To see Dr. Jones?” Frankie asked.

  I looked at Luke, unsure if he wanted me to be a part of this that much. He nodded his head, and he had a small, sad smile on his lips. “If you want me to, yes, I’ll go with.”

  Frankie sighed heavy, “OK, I’ll go.” I mentally jumped for joy, knowing this was a huge step. Frankie being able to talk and get all her feelings out was going to help her so much.

  “Oh, and Frankie? I don’t care what I’m doing or who I’m with, if you need me, you call, no matter what.” Luke put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. My heart melted watching them, and I knew everything was going to be OK.

  “Um, Violet, your pan is smoking,” Frankie said, pointing at the stove.

  I spun around and saw the empty pan that I had put on the burner smoking like crazy. “Tell ya what,” Luke said, “Frankie and I will cook, and you can um, get the plates,” Luke said, walking over to the stove and turned off the burner.

  “I swear I can cook, you guys just distracted me,” I pouted. Frankie grabbed the can opener and opened the cans of soup while Luke grabbed a different pan and set the smoking one in the sink.

  “I’m sure you can, Princess,” Luke chuckled.

  Luke and Frankie worked on lunch while I got the plates and cups down which only took me two minutes. I resigned to the fact that Luke and Frankie didn’t want me in the kitchen, so I wandered into the living room and turned on the TV while I listened to Luke and Frankie talking quietly in the kitchen.

  I sat down on the couch and leaned my head back and sighed.

  Everything was going to be all right.

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  Chapter 29

  Violet

  “Can you believe all the people that are here? This is insane,” Leelee muttered. I glanced around, taking in the massive crowd of people who were here to see Luke and AZ race and my anxiety climbed even more.

  “She still almost hyperventilating?” Mitch asked, walking up to us. He handed me a bottle of water, and I grabbed it, pressing it to my forehead.

  “I don’t know why the hell Luke even has to do this. He won the last time.” My anxiety had been climbing all week as Friday drew closer. All week Luke had been working on the car, making sure it was in top condition.

  “You don’t get challenged and not accept. Makes you look like a Goddamn pussy,” Kurt said, standing next to us with his arms crossed over his chest. To say that his attitude had improved since Leelee had started at the shop was negative. All he did was sulk around the shop and snap at everyone. It was beginning to wear on everyone’s nerves, especially Luke’s. He had told me last night while we were lying in bed that it might be time for Kurt to move on if he couldn’t accept Leelee working at the shop. I hoped it wouldn’t come down to that, but things were not looking good.

  “I’m going to the run to the bathroom,” I muttered under my breath as I hopped down from the tailgate.

  “I’m coming with you.” Leelee declared as she followed behind me. Thankfully the bathrooms were just on the other side of the gate, and the line wasn’t a mile long.

  Leelee and I were standing in front of the sinks with only two people in front of us in line when Ginny walked out of a stall. As soon as she saw Leelee and I standing there, a smirk spread across her lips and she sauntered over to us, her arms crossed over her chest.

  “I see Luke still isn’t thinking straight. I thought by now he would see what scum you are,” she sneered.

  “Just let me hit her, Violet. One hit is all it will take to knock some fucking manners into her.” Leelee stepped forward, getting in Ginny’s face and her fists were clenched at her sides.

  “I’d like to see you hit me. You lay one finger on me, and you have no idea wh
at shit storm you’ll be bringing down on you.” Ginny poked Leelee in the chest, and if I wouldn’t have known better, I swear I saw steam coming out of Leelee’s ears.

  “You’re a gold digging whore,” Leelee spat at her.

  “I bet AZ would say differently. Especially after last night,” she bragged snapping the gum in her mouth. She chewed like a damn horse as she looked over Leelee and I. “Oh, I meant to ask, Violet. Has your car been running OK?”

  What the hell was she talking about? How did she know that I was having car troubles? “Oh you know, just usual maintenance. It’s a good thing that I’m dating Luke, he’s a genius when it comes to cars so he just fixes it up and I’m good to go.” I knew she wanted Luke, and it was petty of me to rub the fact that I was with him in her face, but she had started it. I wasn’t going to stand by and let her treat me like we were in high school all over again.

  “Aren’t you lucky,” she hissed. “I did see that there was a sale on batteries the other day if you’re in need of one.” A sly smile spread across her lips, and I knew she was the one who had cut the battery cables on my car. What a bitch. “Well, I better be going. AZ should be here any minute.”

  “Run along, whore,” Leelee mumbled under her breath.

  Ginny shouldered her way past Leelee, pushing her out of the way. She sauntered to the bathroom door but turned around as she opened the door. “You know what, you and Luke might be made for each other, Violet. You’re scum, and he’ll always be from Skid Row. No matter how much he tries, he can’t escape it. You’re both trash.”

  Leelee lunged at her, but she slipped out the door before Leelee could get to her. “I cannot believe that bitch!” Leelee fumed running her fingers through her hair.

  “Believe it. She was in rare form tonight.”

  “She fucked with your car, you know that, right?”