Page 114 of Parrish

“What about the memory shit and all that?” Nico asks.

“She’s gonna have to do her healing in the comforts of her own fucking home until things are safe,” I reply. Maybe the mayhem will bring her back to me because love alone ain’t doing shit.

“Daddy don’t leave,” Danny says.

“I promise I won’t be gone long,” I reply, setting him on his feet. “I’m just going to get your mommy and bring her home,” I explain. Tearing my eyes away from him, I tousle his hair and look at Nico. “Take him out to the truck. He’s seen enough of this shit.”

“Come, Lacey, show me where the suitcases are, and we’ll get your stuff,” Wolf coaxes but my daughter remains rooted in place.

“No,” she says. “Not until one of you tell me if my husband is okay.”

Wolf looks at me to answer but when I remain silent, he responds.

“We haven’t heard from him,” he says.

“These people came into our home while I was asleep. They could’ve killed me, but they didn’t. They left me and Danny alone. They didn’t want us,” she says.

“We don’t know what they want,” I tell her. “Now, go pack those bags.”

“Fuck that,” she shouts. “I wasn’t born yesterday. What if they’re after him?”

Losing my patience, I clench my jaw and ball my fists. I think I liked it better when she was sneaking around with Blackie behind my back. At least then she didn’t mouth off to me any chance she got.

“Nico, take Danny,” I repeat. “Now.”

“Come on kid, I brought Twizzlers this time,” he says, reaching out to take Danny’s hand. I watch him lead my crying boy out of the house. Once they’re out of sight, I look at Lacey. I’m not sure if she’s torn up that the walls of her house have been painted in blood or if she’s twisted because she’s my daughter and all that’s brought her is a ton of pain. I imagine that’s a cross no one wants to bear.

“I thought you were done with him,” I growl. “Isn’t that what you said? You were tired of the drugs and all that came with him.”

“Don’t twist my fucking words,” she sneers. “If something happens to my husband, I will never forgive you,” she spats, poking her finger against my chest.

“Okay, look, nothing is going to happen to anyone,” Wolf interjects. “I’m going to make sure of that,” he continues.

Lacey’s finger drops from my chest as she turns to Wolf and laughs in his face.

“God, you’re just as fucked as they are and you’re in charge for what, a whole two minutes?”

“Feels like a lifetime,” Wolf grunts.

“Quit acting like a child,” I tell her, fueling her anger some more. “The more time we waste sitting around here, entertaining your tantrum, the more time we waste figuring a way to make this all go away.”

“Your father’s right,” Wolf says. “Let’s go pack the fucking bag before he loses his shit and I’m not able to make any promises on Blackie’s behalf because I’ll be too occupied steering your father off the brink of another mental breakdown.”

Reluctantly she crosses her arms and leads Wolf up the stairs. Releasing a heavy sigh, I watch them disappear before I turn and make a pass through the main floor. As much as I hate to doubt my instincts, Wolf is right there is no solid proof linking Javier to any of this shit. Not the car crash, not Milly and not this.

“Come on motherfucker, give me something,” I say as I turn the pillows on the couch over. “Give me something to fucking run with. Just one fucking thing.”

One fucking thing to prove I’m not crazy.

One fucking thing to redeem myself.

I search high and low and come up with nothing.

Not a fucking thing.

By the time Lacey and Wolf come back down the stairs the house looks ten times worse than it did. Wolf brings her out to the car and when he returns, he finds me in the kitchen, tearing open the cabinets.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asks.

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