Page 2 of Heartless
I had nothing to answer that. Of course I didn’t want my dad in jail. But I didn’t want him outthereeither, fighting for no cause while doing irreparable damage to his mind and body.
He rounded the counter and pulled me into a tight hug, one that made me feel tiny and protected. The type of hug that a little girl burrowed into so the monsters under her bed wouldn’t get her.
The monsters were out in the streets now, looting and pillaging. It didn’t matter if they were in riot gear or in rags. If they were strangers or familiar faces. The Collapse had changed people. It brought out the worst in them.
“I’m so sorry,mijita,” he sighed over the top of my head, though I wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for. “Your mom and I never wanted you to live in this kind of world. But we’re all in this stupid bullshit war, whether we like it or not.”
I just let him hug me, let him be my dad. He couldn’t save me from anything, but for right now, they couldn’t take this away from us.
I didn’t know it would be the last time I saw him.
One
MARIPOSA
Present Day
Arms, legs, chests, and backs provided solidness and warmth on all sides. I didn’t even need to open my eyes to know who was who anymore.
My forehead nuzzled the burn scars on Jandro’s back. I kissed them in my half-asleep state, a smile coming to my face at the memory of kissing another man’s scars last night.
Jandro didn’t stir, still fully in dreamland, but Reaper’s arm tightened around my waist. His lips found my ear, pressing a soft kiss there before murmuring, “You awake?”
“Mmm.” I flipped over to face him, taking care not to disturb Jandro. Eyes still closed, I nuzzled my head under his chin, kissing his chest while curling up and burrowing into him. “You?”
He was silent for a moment, stroking my back.
“I talked to Daren.”
“Hm?” That forced my eyelids open, hands lifting up to rub the sleep and fatigue from my eyes. “When?”
“Just now, before I woke up.”
I tried to listen carefully to his tone, to piece together his feelings from his voice, but it was impossible with him speaking so softly. “What did he say?”
“Shit that wasn’t good.” He pushed himself up from the mattress with a groan, blinking at the pre-dawn light coming in from the window. “Take a walk with me, sugar?”
“Yeah, coming.”
We climbed out of bed carefully, crawling over the splayed arms and legs of Jandro and Gunner to get dressed. I pulled on my thickest jeans, wool socks, and a gray flannel shirt. Every day grew colder, and the air before the sun came out was downright chilly.
Reaper got ready in his leather jacket, jeans, boots, and cigarettes, and together we headed out the front door of the Four Corners B&B. Right after stepping off the front porch, we heard the door open slowly again and turned to see who was following.
Hades had pushed the door open with his front paw, and he and Freyja followed us out to the quiet street.
“Can’t go anywhere alone,” I chuckled as Reaper lit up. “So did he come to you in a dream like,” I tilted my head toward the animals, “theysaid?”
“Yeah.” He grabbed my hand and started walking, sucking on his clove with the opposite hand. “I was riding and it was too perfect to be real, you know? Perfect weather, full gas tank, smooth road. I stopped to look out at the edge of a canyon and he just walked up behind me.”
“Did it feel like you were really talking to him?” I snatched his cigarette for a quick drag. “Or just your brain pulling up memories of him?”
“It was really him, sugar. Well and alive.” His eyes brightened on a distant focal point as we walked together. “He said he saw the whole rescue mission in Blakeworth, thanks to Freyja.” He looked at the cat over his shoulder with a chuckle. “He’s seen you, seen all of us. Sounds like he’s into you, sugar. I knew he would be.”
“I would’ve liked to meet him,” I said, with a squeeze to his hand.
“I wouldn’t,” Reaper laughed. “He’d steal you away from me.”
“Never.” I held onto his arm with both hands, pressing my cheek against his shoulder. “What did he say that wasn’t good?”
