Page 19 of Pen Me

“You have to be so careful here,” I started to lecture, unsure if he even knew how to visit someone inside without bringing trouble to himself or the club.

Sauce absently nodded, that shaggy hair dancing around his high cheekbones.

“I ain’t on that, though.” He cleared his throat and crossed his arms on the table, leaning forward.

I gave a slow nod, not really following. “Yeah? What brings you here then, friend?”

Sauce bit his lip and awkwardly shrugged, averting his eyes to the tabletop “Lots of things going on, you know?”

I leaned back, unsure where he was heading. A single pop to the surface of the table brought his gaze back to mine.

“My sister is home,” he clarified. “My dad doesn’t even know.”

I relaxed immediately at the mention of his sister. Sammy was a military woman, there wasn’t anything criminal to her.

“I remember her. She’s home on leave?”

Sauce slowly shook his head.

“Oh,” I swallowed, suddenly feeling like an asshole. “Shit. She didn’t get hurt badly, did she?”

“She got burnt by a fuckboy.” Sauce’s eyes flashed with anger.

“‘Burnt–’” I repeated.

Sauce made a low growl that drew the guards’ attention momentarily.

“He gave her a disease. He didn’t just burn her, though, he broke her fuckin’ spirit, man. I guess he had a whole wife he kept secret from Sammy, or whatever.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah. My sister didn’t know shit until they were kicking her out over it.”

I snorted, unable to help myself.

“Kicking her out? Over some dick?” I shot him a skeptical look.

“Fraternizing is what they call it in the service,” Sauce insisted.

“That’s fuckin’ wild…” I shook my head and thought about it for a moment.

Only long enough to feel like someone's grandma at a tea party.

“Yeah, she’s worried about what Dad will say about her pissing away the career.”

I couldn’t keep the smile at bay, “He’ll get over it. He’s her dad.”

Sauce hesitantly nodded, “I just wish I knew how to make it better for her.”

“Or at least where to find the prick, hm?” I teased.

“That, too.” He didn’t bother denying it, if anything he grunted those two words with a little too much conviction.

I was leery of continuing the conversation, so I grew quiet for a moment, but he didn’t let it drop.

“I can’t ask Eightball or the Felons to find him. They’ll report back to my dad.”

“Wish I could help, ‘lil man. But…” I raised my shackled wrists.

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