by Mia Knight
She spotted a familiar building. “Turn here.”
“What?”
“Turn!” she snapped.
The tires screeched as Mickey made a sharp turn.
“The drive-through is around the corner,” she said.
“What the hell are we doing?”
“I want a donut,” she said.
“What?”
“Do-nut,” she enunciated. “Strawberry, chocolate … whatever they have, I want it. I had one a week ago, and it made me happy, so we’re gonna get a dozen and hope it perks me up. Comprende?”
Mickey gave her a glance that suggested she’d lost her mind. His phone rang as he pulled up to the microphone. Carmen leaned across him and hollered out her order as Mickey talked on the phone.
“She wants a donut. I know. We’ll be out of here in a sec.” He hung up. “Frederick’s covering us.”
“Of course, he is.” She handed him her credit card. “I didn’t ask if you wanted anything.”
He grinned. “I’m sure I’ll find something from the three dozen you ordered.”
“I want Mom and Marv to have some too.”
Mickey handed her three hot boxes, which she placed on her lap. She waved at the Dunkin’ Donut’s worker, who drooled over her car. She flipped open the lid and bit into a strawberry donut. She closed her eyes and sank her teeth into the pink frosting and let everything else cease to exist. It was pathetic to seek solace from a donut, but she would take what she could get. Anything had to be better than wallowing in a pit of self-loathing.
“Is that as good as it looks?” Mickey asked, ruining her moment.
She opened her eyes to find him watching her instead of where he was going. “Eyes on the road.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She bit into two other donuts, but none gave her a rush like the strawberry one. She sucked her finger as Mickey drove and then smacked the door.
“Turn here.”
“Frederick’s not going to—”
She reached for the steering wheel. He cursed and brushed her hands away. “Okay, okay. Where are we going?”
She gave him directions and then handed him the donut boxes as she got out of the car. Frederick parked beside her and jumped out with his hand in his jacket.
“What’s going on?”
“I need stuff,” she said and started toward Petco.
“What the hell?”
“There’s an animal adoption event in two days.”
“What the hell does that have to do with …” Frederick began but broke off when she walked through the doors.
She walked into Petco with Frederick and Mickey flanking her. She found two workers to assist her, and she went on a shopping spree. She bought beds, leashes, food and water dishes, collars, toys, treats, etc. She situated a delivery time with the manager and also managed to get him to advertise the event with the local stores as well. After handing over her credit card to pay over ten grand, she caught the look her guards exchanged.
“How’d you two get stuck with me?” she asked. “Is Angel or Gavin punishing you?”
“Neither. We volunteered,” Mickey said.
Carmen frowned. “Why would you volunteer?”
“You’re with Roman, right?”
She stiffened. “Excuse me?”
“You were with him last night. He basically claimed you in front of everyone. We figured you were bound for action since you’re his.” He finally registered her outraged expression. “You’re not?”
“No! You were duped into playing babysitter for someone who is going to make you take her on fast food runs and animal adoptions.”
“So why were you with Roman last night?” Mickey persisted.
Why, indeed? Fucking Angel. She thanked the cashier and crumpled the epic receipt into a sizable ball as she marched out of the store. She pulled her phone out of her purse and pointed at both men to stay as she walked a few paces away and dialed Angel. He answered on the fifth ring.
“I’m busy.”
“So am I,” she quipped. “Why did you really take me with you last night?”
“I told you.”
“For the rush?” she asked as she paced with a hand on her hip. “Is that all?”
“What else is there?”
“How about the fact that everyone thinks I’m yours now?”
“It’s for protection.”
“What?”
“The next time you do some wild shit, they know they’ll have to deal with me as well. I put you under my wing.”
“You put me on the map, jack off!”
“You wouldn’t be on the map if you hadn’t decided to shoot Maddog. I took the killing shot, but everyone who was there knows you would have kept shooting until he keeled over. Did you work through whatever shit was going on with you last night? It has to do with Vinny, right?”
She stomped her foot. “Stop trying to play my fucked-up therapist! You don’t know me!”
He chuckled. “I do know you. It’s like looking in a mirror. You, Luci, and I are cut from the same cloth. I don’t need to analyze you because I already get it.”
“You don’t get shit.”
“Right. Where are you?” he asked suddenly.
“In a Petco parking lot. Why?”
“You’re alone?” His voice was suddenly sharp.
“No, I have my guards.”
“Stop fucking around and get to your safe place. Once Gavin got involved, the Black Vipers went to ground. Stay low and if you have to go out, don’t leave without them. Got it?”
“If you hadn’t taken me, I wouldn’t need guards,” she sassed back.
The line went dead. She cursed and turned to see Frederick and Mickey standing closer than they had been a minute ago. She glared as she pushed between them and got in the car. Mickey said nothing as he drove. Her foot tapped against the floorboard in irritation. If Angel hadn’t taken her last night, she would still be encased in her impenetrable wall of denial, a much-needed buffer that kept the guilt at bay so she could function. Now, it was in her lungs. With every breath she took, pain swirled around in her chest like fine shards of glass, leaving razor thin cuts on her insides.
Mickey pulled up to a house painted in baby blue and white with big bay windows and rose bushes in front. She stepped out of the car as the front door opened, and Mom and Marv appeared. She waited with her hand on the door, bracing herself for a lecture or disapproving look from Marv.
“I thought something happened to you,” he said as he gave her a hug.
The smell of Old Spice and the burly feel of him went to her head like whiskey. Oh, Dad, I miss you so much, she thought and willed back the tears. Dad wasn’t here, but Marv was doing a damn good job of stepping up. He roused good memories that made her want to burrow against him and hang on tight.
“I brought donuts,” she said as he pulled away. She made a big show of reaching into the car to grab them.
Marv’s eyes widened. “You’d be a hit at the mechanic shop.”
“Really? I can deliver—”
He laughed and swung an arm over her shoulders. “No, that’s okay. Come inside.”
“Wait, let me get Vinny.”
He released her and watched as she hefted the urn. He didn’t comment as he led the way into the house. The house had high beam ceilings, wood floors, and a big fireplace. Everything was open, airy, and filled with personal touches that said it had been well lived in. She got a glimpse of a well-kept backyard with thriving plants.
“This is it,” Marv said. “It’s simple but—”
“It’s perfect,” she said quietly as she clutched Vinny to her chest.
“I think so,” Marv said with his hands in pockets.
A young, exotic woman walked out of the hallway wearing jeans and a shirt two sizes too big for her. She had the perfect mix of both parents—creamy white skin from her father and slanted hazel eyes and pin straight black hair from her Asian mother.
“This is my
daughter, Maddie. She’s a freshman in college. Maddie, this is Carmen, Isabel’s daughter,” Marv said.
“Hi,” Maddie said faintly.
“Hi,” Carmen said and hefted Vinny awkwardly on her hip.
“What’s that?” Maddie asked.
“My husband.”
Maddie’s eyes widened and then softened. “Oh.”
“Maddie’s going to school for hotel management and business,” Marv said.
“Really? I might be able to help you with that,” Carmen said.
Maddie’s brows rose. “You can?”
“I own shares in Pyre Casino, and I have an in with the CEO.”
Maddie’s mouth formed the word, “Wow,” but no sound came out of her.
“Where are we putting her stuff?” Frederick asked from behind her.
“This way,” Marv said and started down the hallway.
“You know, Marv, it’s not a big deal for me to go to a hotel,” Carmen began.
“Don’t be silly. You’re family,” he said.
He led her to a beautiful guest room with doilies on the dresser and everything done in white. It was simple, rustic, and soothing. It wasn’t the type of room you cried your heart out in. She settled Vinny on the bedside table and winced when it creaked under the weight. Frederick and Mickey began to bring in her stuff, and she attempted not to trash the place by making semi-organized piles. When she finished, she padded back into the living area. Through the front windows, she saw Mickey and Frederick parked across the street in the SUV.
“Are you in trouble?” Maddie asked.
Carmen plopped onto the opposite of the lush couch and faced her future stepsister.
“Yeah,” she said.
“What kind?” Maddie asked.
She hesitated. This house belonged in Better Homes and Garden. If Maddie grew up in a house like this, underworld shit wasn’t for her innocent ears. She might not even know it existed.
“The bad kind, but it’ll be over soon.”
“I like your shoes.”
She smiled and held up her foot so they could admire the kickass shoe together. “Thanks. What’s your shoe size?”
“Eight.”
She winked. “Your shoe collection just imploded. You and I are the same size. Whatever you want, feel free to take.”
Maddie’s mouth dropped. “What?”
She waved a hand. “I mostly use my shoes once anyway. Actually, Lyla’s the same size too, so you can steal her shit too.”
“Lyla?”
“My cousin. She’s married to Gavin.”
“The CEO of Pyre Casinos?” Maddie asked in a strangled voice.
“That’s him,” she said dryly.
She jerked her head toward the kitchen where their parents were eating donuts, drinking decaf coffee, and giggling like teenagers.
“How long have you known about them?”
“From their first date.” Maddie gave her a small smile. “Mom’s great.”
Hearing Maddie call her mom that gave her all the feels. Life definitely moved on. She cleared her throat. “She sure is.”
“My mom died when I was eleven. Breast cancer,” Maddie said quietly. “Dad’s been alone for a long time. I’m happy for him.”
“So am I.”
“I know about your husband,” Maddie said quietly. “It was in the papers.”
She let out a long breath. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded because there was nothing to say.
“We spread Mom’s ashes in the backyard. We’d never sell this house because of that.”
Carmen looked around at what felt like a sprawling ranch house. “I can see why. It’s beautiful.”
“I’m boarding at college to give them privacy.” Maddie tilted her head toward their parents. “But I like to come home when I don’t have classes. Levi is going to freak out.”
“Levi?”
“My brother.” Maddie crossed her arms and grinned. “I don’t know what he’s going to notice first. You or that Aston Martin Vanquish S Volante.”
Carmen grinned. “You know your cars.”
“You’re forced to when you live with mechanics.”
She settled into her corner of the couch and hugged an oversized pillow to her chest. “This is nice.”
This house seemed untouched by anything twisted and evil. Mom looked comfortable and settled here. The pictures on the mantle and walls showed a happy family who had lived a full life. Despite the years it had been since Marv’s wife passed, the house still maintained the essence of her. Marv didn’t become resentful or abusive. He took care of his family and worked hard, and the result was here in front of her. Maddie had grown up without a mother, but she seemed secure and grounded. She wasn’t resentful of their presence.
“You’re taking this well,” she said.
Maddie’s brows rose. “I am?”
“We’re moving in on your turf.”
Maddie laughed, and the beautiful sound was music to her ears. “I freaked out when I first found out, but I met Mom and …” She shrugged. “Some things are meant to be, you know?” She glanced into the kitchen before she leaned forward. “Dad told me how you reacted.” She gave her two thumbs up. “What’s good for them is good for us, right?”
That painful clenching sensation in her chest eased ever so slightly. Maddie’s innocence made the night at The Pussy seem like a bad dream rather than something she participated in. Carmen rose and gave her new sister a long hug before she settled beside her on the couch.
“Yes, what’s good for them is good for us,” she agreed.
Maddie’s wise eyes tracked her face. “You need a nap.”
Carmen let out a choked laugh. “I do.” She needed a lot of things, but a nap sounded the best at the moment. Maddie smelled of vanilla and honey. She settled against her sister who didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable. This seemed like a good place to lick her raw wounds and recover.
“You want to watch Psych?” Maddie asked.
“What’s Psych?”
“It’s a show about a guy who’s super observant and solves crimes from clues police post on the news. When he tries to collect his reward money for solving a crime, they think he’s a suspect, so he has to act like a psychic instead. It’s really funny.”
She settled against Maddie. “That sounds perfect. I’m in.”
15
Carmen pulled up to Cimarron Elementary and stepped out of the car. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Frederick and Mickey as they strolled up to her.
“Pyre and Roman approved the outing,” Frederick said.
“I would have attended without their approval,” she said and turned to Maddie as she climbed out of the passenger seat of the Aston. She wore Carmen’s thigh-high boots with jeans and a white tee. Carmen grinned as she glanced down at the scuffed Converse sneakers she had borrowed from Maddie. Maddie had been horrified when she found them in the back of her closet, but she was in love with them. It brought her back to a simpler time. Little things. That was how she was getting through. She also borrowed an olive-green bomber jacket from her new sis, which she wore over a black knit body con dress.
She’d spent the past two days at Marv’s house, doing nothing more strenuous than sleeping, eating, and watching Netflix. She had a few breakdowns, but they didn’t last long. How could it when such nice, caring people surrounded her? She told Charisse that something came up and that they would have to resume their house hunting next week. After two days at Marv’s house, she had a better idea of what she wanted for her next home, and it wasn’t as grand as what she’d had in the past. It would be smaller, homey, safe. Surely, she could find a home with those qualities? Despite the love bursting at the seams in Marv’s house, she couldn’t stay there. She was sharing a bathroom with Maddie, and the closet was the size of a linen closet. Nope.
“You made it!”
Alice rushed toward them wearing a ball cap, fluorescent jacke
t, and gold shoelaces. She was also accompanied by a dachshund wearing a red bandanna. Alice’s eyes were shining, and she looked adorable. If men could see this version of her, she’d have to beat them off with a stick.
“Hey,” Alice gushed and smiled at Maddie. “I’m Alice.”
“This is my sister, Maddie,” Carmen said.
Alice blinked as she shook Maddie’s hand. “Oh, wow. That’s awesome.”
“Maddie’s in school for hotel management and business and interested in helping out with your events. I’m going to see if I can get her into the intern program at Pyre Casinos.”
Alice beamed. “That’s fantastic.” She looked past Maddie as Frederick and Mickey helped a large truck back up. “What’s going on?”
Carmen clapped her hands together. “I bought some goodies.”
“Goodies?” Alice echoed as two delivery guys opened the back of the truck.
“I got things a new pet owner would need. Scratching posts, puppy pads, leashes, food. I thought it would help. What we don’t use, we can donate to the shelters.”
“Did Gavin authorize this?” Alice was clearly ill at ease.
“No, this is my contribution.”
“Carmen, we can’t accept this.”
“Why not? I’m a Pyre, aren’t I? I can do good Samaritan shit.” She had enough money to feed a country. Maybe she should do that—
Alice gave her an enthusiastic one-armed hug. “You’re amazing; you know that, right?”
“I’ve heard that once or twice,” she said.
Alice hollered to some volunteers to help before she grabbed Maddie’s hand. “Come, let me show you everything!”
Alice led them toward a cluster of tents and volunteers wearing gold Pyre Foundation T-shirts. There were pens full of puppies, kittens, and older dogs wearing bandannas or cute sweaters. Kids ran with the dogs on their heels, and manly men with tattoos allowed their faces to be pawed by tiny kittens. Elderly people bonded with the mature dogs who needed a pair of feet to snooze beside for the handful of years they had left.