It wasn’t like they had a relationship, for God’s sake, she scolded herself. He hadn’t made her any promises. For all she knew, he’d gotten what he wanted, and she’d had a hell of a ride, herself.
She would be disappointed if that was the case, but she really hadn’t pegged Drill for a nail-and-bail.
And what are you going to do about it? He has his own life. And he’s still a part of the damned Wraiths, for all you know. What, exactly, is going on there, anyway?
After an hour of nice and mindless shelving, her mind still roiled over thoughts of Drill, their night together — what was going to happen to all of them moving forward. She needed to talk to him. She would talk to him, she decided. Preferably face to face.
“Um, Thuy?” Naomi Winters said, interrupting her thoughts. She looked puzzled. “Could you come to the back office?”
“Sure.” Thuy put the book she was shelving away, straightening the row reflexively. Then she followed Naomi.
When she got to the office, there were three large boxes. Julianne was staring at them. “Do you know what these are?” she said, her words crisp.
“They’re addressed to the library, care of you,” Naomi added.
“They’re… oh!” Thuy felt her heart lighten a little. “They must be the YA books!”
“What YA books?” Naomi asked.
“You placed an order?” Julianne said, sounding aghast. “You don’t have authority for that!”
“No, no,” Thuy said quickly. She picked up a pair of scissors and held them open, cutting the tape. She opened the box. Sure enough, there was a wide selection of YA novels inside. She laughed with happiness, the first good thing to happen that morning. “See? They’re donations!”
“For us?” Julianne looked at the box like it held snakes. “From whom?”
“I put out a request on my social media accounts,” Thuy said, all but petting the glossy covers. She pulled out some titles. Fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, romance, issue books. This was a nice little cross-section. She couldn’t wait to see what was in the others. “I saw another rural library do the same thing, although that was school related. But our YA selection was sort of anemic, I thought we could use a boost. Oh!”
She opened the second box. This one held a wide variety of comic books, graphic novels, and manga. She suppressed a squeal. “Ginny’s going to love this,” she predicted. “Oh, there’s that middle-grade series that…”
“These are misprints,” Julianne said. “They’re backward. And they’re comic books.”
“That’s manga. Japanese comic books. Although they’re in English, of course,” Thuy enthused. “The kids love ‘em.”
“We do not carry comic books.”
Thuy stopped in the process of opening the third box. “Sorry?”
“You should have asked me first,” Julianne said sharply. She looked overwhelmed. “These… this… you should have asked!”
“But they’re donations,” Thuy said. “Most of them from the authors themselves.” She glanced at the first box. “There are bestsellers here, and some award winners. Diverse representation. The graphic novels, too…”
Julianne just looked overwhelmed and upset. “I put in orders for what I feel is appropriate,” she said. “Now there are these… these books that I have not vetted, including comic books which we simply do not carry, and… and… three whole boxes! Where would we put them all? Thank God it wasn’t more!”
Thuy winced.
Julianne must’ve caught the small expression, because her eyes widened behind her glasses. “Are there… you don’t mean you’re expecting more?”
“Let me check something.” Thuy pulled out her phone, opening her Twitter account. She saw that she had more than her usual number of mentions, and quickly opened it up.
It’s so great that you’re doing this! Sending books tomorrow!
Do you have a wishlist?
I’ll be sending a selection!
Sent! Sent! Sent!
Thuy gulped, putting her phone away. “There are going to be more,” she said slowly. “I’m not sure how many but… I think… maybe a lot?”
Julianne looked gobsmacked.
Naomi opened the third box as they talked. “Oh! I meant to read this one. The Brooklyn Brujas series, right? It looked good. And The Hate U Give!” She was all but clapping her hands over it. “We’ve had requests!”
Now Julianne was staring at Naomi, who didn’t seem to notice.
“We barely have enough room as is,” Julianne finally said, as if this were the deciding factor. “Where will we put a lot of new ones?”
Naomi paged through Labyrinth Lost. Thuy bit her lip, unsure, but then ventured forward. “There are some books that are old in the children’s section. I mean, the binding’s falling apart,” she said, in case Julianne was afraid she was simply targeting classics because of their age. “If we’ve got these books coming in for free, it makes more sense than paying to try and repair old or damaged books.”
Julianne tapped her chin. She was thinking about it, at least.
“And,” Thuy said, feeling braver, “we can always put more shelves where the card catalogs are. We don’t actually need them, since the system is computerized.”
Now Julianne’s back went straight as a yardstick. “Those card catalogs have been with the library since its inception,” she said. “They were built by some of the town’s founding fathers. Did you know that? By Green Valley’s own carpenters!”
Uh-oh. Touchy subject. “I’m sure we can still find someplace,” Thuy said, backing off a little.
But Julianne was triggered. She crossed her arms. “I really wish you had discussed this with me first,” she said. “I know you’re from a big city, and you’re used to doing things a different way. Maybe you feel like we’re quaint, or backward, or that you can just march in and make all the changes you want…”
“But I didn’t!” Thuy protested. “I just asked some friends for some books. I thought it would help the teens. That’s all!”
“I’m afraid,” Julianne cleared her throat, then surveyed Thuy over the lenses of her glasses, “that I’m not sure you’re a good fit here.”
Thuy froze.
Are you freaking kidding me?
Taking a moment and a deep breath, Thuy waited until she was under control again before asking her next question. “Are you firing me, Julianne?”
Naomi snapped out of her reading. “Wait. What?”
“I am not firing you.” The “yet” was heavily implied. “But you know you’re here in a probationary capacity. I’m simply saying I’m not sure how well you mesh with our existing library organization.”
Thuy felt tears stinging at her eyes. First Drill’s rejection this morning. Now, this.
“We have traditions here. We’ve tried to keep up with the times, but not at the expense of our heritage. I firmly believe in the good of our institution,” Julianne said, and it was all Thuy could do not to simply start shouting. Which would do no one any good. “If I don’t feel that you can uphold our traditions, then I can’t in good conscience keep you on. We’ll see how it goes, but…”
“I see.” Thuy nodded, then turned and went to the restroom. She splashed cold water on her face.
It should’ve been a good day. Making love with Drill last night; the books coming in. Instead, she’d been shut down harshly, twice.
She wondered painfully if there was any way it could get worse.
Chapter Forty-Two
“All right. Shut up, everybody! Shut up!” Burro stood in front of the crowd at the Dragon. Everybody there either wore a Wraith’s patch, or was a recruit. Catfish stood in front as well, at the bar. His clothes were clean and… not exactly stylish, but definitely crisp, a far cry from some of the more ragged and scrappy clothes the other bikers wore. Catfish looked sharp, always. Now that he was president, he used that to stand out, to show that he wasn’t fucking around.
He certainly wasn’t fucking around now.<
br />
“You guys elected me as your president,” Catfish said, his voice carrying over the now-quiet group of bikers. “It’s been a tough year for all of us. I know we haven’t been bringing in the hauls that we used to, but that’s changing soon. We’re going to be getting new suppliers, and setting up new runs. We’re collecting on more loans, and making more. Gambling’s gonna get expanded.”
There was a ragged cheer at this, and some laughter. Catfish’s cool stare silenced them.
“But I’m gonna need you guys to pull your weight,” he said, his voice firm and edged with authority. “You don’t, you’re out. And trust me, that’s not an option you want.”
They nodded. This was talk they were familiar with.
“Ever since the shit that went down,” Catfish said, obliquely referencing Razor and Darrell, “we’ve been running low on leaders, fighting amongst ourselves. That. Stops. Now.”
More nods. Drill could feel the confidence flowing off of Catfish, and the membership was responding. It was why Catfish was a good choice for president.
“I’ve chosen Drill to be our vice president,” Catfish said. “Timothy King’s our new enforcer. Dirty Dave is still gonna be our treasurer. Burro and Sledgehammer, you two are new captains. We’ll be cycling in some new recruits to full-fledged members in the next few months, if you prove yourselves,” he added, looking at a few youngsters who were nudging each other and grinning. “In the meantime, we’re running at a full slate and we’re going to make the Wraiths better than they were before. Got me?”
There was a ragged cheer. Catfish nodded, his smile small and satisfied.
“Good.” He gestured to Dirty Dave to follow him, and he retreated to the back office.
Drill went to follow him, but immediately felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Sledgehammer standing there, with a smug expression.
“See that?” he said. “I’m a captain now. So, you can’t fuck with me.”
“Now why would I want to do that?” Drill said, remembering his conversation that morning with Catfish.
“Because… you told me…” Sledgehammer looked confused. “The girl, remember? The Chinese chick?”
Drill fought not to roll his eyes. Vietnamese chick, you idiot. “Yeah, I remember. And I know that Catfish said I could be the one to warn her. Not you.”
Sledgehammer frowned. “But… wait. I thought he told me to do it.”
“They’re staying in my old farmhouse. I talked to Catfish and he agreed if anybody’s gonna get the point across to them, it’s me.” At least, that was the story he’d decided to roll with. It was that, or kill Sledge, because the guy was too dense to get anything else.
Sledgehammer looked like he was working it over in his mind. His eyes narrowed. “That doesn’t…”
“Look, who’s got seniority here? You’re a captain. Big fucking deal,” Drill said, with a sneer. “I’m VP, asshole. So if I want something — or someone,” he ground out, “I get it. Got it?”
Sledgehammer looked like something finally clicked. “Oh, so you wanted to play with her, huh?” he said, with a raucous laugh. “Can’t blame you. Would’ve gotten a piece of that myself, if I had the chance.”
Now Drill felt perfectly fine with killing the son of a bitch. He forced himself not to go with the impulse.
He looked over to see Timothy King and his pack of jackals, crowded around a table. They were drinking. Tim was preening. He motioned to Drill to come over.
Drill ignored him. This meeting was painful enough as it was. The last thing he needed was Timothy fucking King, acting like Drill needed to hop when he said jump.
It took several minutes, but unfortunately, Tim made his way to where Drill was standing. “So you’re vice president,” Tim said. “Congratulations.”
He said it in a term reserved for “screw you.” Drill took it as such, but still nodded, saluting with his beer bottle.
“Now that I’m enforcer,” Tim continued, looking self-important, “I’m going to be keeping a close eye out. Since we lost Razor, and even Repo, the reputation of the Wraiths has gone to shit. Too many restrictions gone loose, too many guys thinking they can do whatever the hell they want.”
“You do that,” Drill said, drinking some more of his beer. Man, this guy was annoying.
Tim waited until Drill was looking at him again before speaking. “Just so you know,” he said slowly. “I’m not going to let anybody get away with anything. Catfish wants a tight fucking ship, and that’s what I’m gonna deliver.”
“Good for you.” But Drill heard the implied threat in Tim’s words. What, exactly, did the little shit think he had on Drill?
And what was he planning on doing in retaliation?
Drill deliberately turned his back on Tim, cutting the conversation short. He could all but feel the younger man’s irritation and insult, and sensed when he walked away.
“Another beer,” Drill said to the bartender.
He needed to warn the girls — maybe get them to talk to the police, just in case. Then, as long as he could keep Sledgehammer in line and Tim off his back, they should stay safe.
He just needed to stay away from them, he reminded himself.
Especially Thuy.
He closed his eyes.
Especially Thuy. For once in his life, he had to make the right decision.
Chapter Forty-Three
Thuy drove home that night, feeling like the day had lasted a week. She couldn’t wait to get back to the farmhouse, devour her body weight’s worth of Christmas cookies, and talk to Maddy about all the crappy things that had happened that day. Maybe not about Drill — or at least, not specifically. Maddy already knew something was afoot when Thuy had shame-walked from the cabin to the farmhouse that morning, but she’d simply smiled and offered to make coffee. Thuy wouldn’t share the dirty details, since after all, she’d slept with Maddy’s brother. But at least she knew Maddy wouldn’t judge her. If anything, Maddy would probably want to kick Drill’s ass for his disappearing act that morning.
More pressing, Thuy wanted to talk to her about possibly losing the library job. They needed an additional source of income, and Thuy had wanted to be employed full-time by the time the baby arrived. Now, she wasn’t even looking at part-time, if Julianne’s outburst of shock and temper were any indication. At least that’s what it felt like.
Should’ve looked at that stocking job at the Piggly Wiggly. Maybe it wasn’t too late. She’d check the job listings again on her phone.
When she pulled in, her headlights reflected off an unfamiliar vehicle. This time, it was a white four-door, a Kia or something. Thuy wasn’t good with cars.
“Oh, what fresh hell is this?” Thuy muttered, grabbing her bear spray. Were bikers driving midsized sedans now?
She rushed into the house. “Maddy? Maddy, where are you!”
She stopped in her tracks.
Maddy was on the couch, her lips locked with…
“David?” Thuy yelped. “What are you doing here?”
They jumped apart like shrapnel. Maddy’s hair was mussed, and she was out of breath. The guy she’d been so avidly making out with had cocoa brown hair in need of a haircut, tanned skin, and rumpled clothes. Other than looking tired, happy, and maybe a bit determined, he looked just like he did the last time Thuy saw him.
“Thuy,” Maddy said, wiping her mouth, her cheeks turning red. “Um… I wasn’t expecting you home so soon.”
“Apparently not,” Thuy said, feeling floored. She turned to David. “Dude. I thought you were in Australia, studying… I don’t know, special Australian farming or kangaroo ranching or something.”
While your girlfriend was over here pregnant with your child, asshole.
“I was,” he said. “But I was miserable. I have been since I left Maddy.”
“And yet, you still left,” Thuy muttered. “Four frickin’ months ago…”
“It’s my fault. Not that he left,” Maddy quickly added. “But that he cam
e back. I, um, have been emailing him. Every day, just about, since we got here.”
“You have?” Thuy stared at her. “When?”
“When you were at work, or at night. Sometimes a couple of times a day,” Maddy admitted. “I just… I missed him. And after I blew up at him the first time, we finally started communicating. I think we worked through some important things.”
“I finally listened,” David emphasized. “And, hopefully, stopped being such an asshole.”
Thuy tucked the bear spray back in her purse, then crossed her arms. “So what are you doing back?”
“I dropped out of the program I was in, in Melbourne,” he said. “I’m going to be with Maddy now. I’m going to take care of her.” He smiled slowly. “She’s agreed to marry me.”
“What?” Thuy felt like someone had knocked the wind out of her. She glanced at Maddy. “Seriously?”
Maddy nodded. “I never stopped loving him,” she said softly.
Thuy looked back and forth between them. Then her eyes narrowed. “Funny you’re agreeing to marry her now,” she said slowly. “When she’s suddenly inherited a farm, and all.”
“Thuy!” Maddy snapped, sounding scandalized.
David held up a hand. “It’s all right. I earned that,” he said, and he sounded sad. He turned to Maddy. “She’s right to be suspicious, and she’s only looking out for you.”
Then he turned back to Thuy. “If anything, I have to thank you. I owe you for taking care of Maddy while I still had my head up my ass.”
Thuy felt anger and frustration bubble through her. Why today? Of all days?
“I’m buying half the farm,” David added. “I want Maddy to know I’m all in. I’m just as invested as she is — I’m dumping in all my savings, and even my parents are kicking in some. We’ll be in this together.”
Thuy goggled at him. This was definitely unexpected. And, she hated to admit, encouraging.
Maybe he had gotten his head out of his ass.
“Let me talk to her,” Maddy said to David.
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