Page 26 of Benga's Rise
“Nine is bed and school starts at eight. No soda unless it’s a special occasion. Fruit juice and water. You’ll want to keep sweets away before bed or he’ll be up forever and you’ll get no alone time.”
I just nod. Alone time? It must be a woman thing.
“Seren is gonna fix my bus so it drops me off at Raid’s or her house. She wants to help us. She’s nice, Ma, and Caelan is cute, but he’s big for a baby. He’s Swedish, Samoan and Norwegian. He gonna grow big like Cort. That’s taller than Raid, he’s Samoan and Irish.”
Shit, this kid is going to have her in nightmares all night. “Banks is looking for a place for you that’s one floor and closer to the Club. We have a condo ready for you, but it’s two floors and the first floor only has a half bath. While you have the cast on, we can get your stuff into the condo. You’ll be able to just bring your clothes once the cast comes off. The condos are right here...”
She puts her hand up stopping me. I don’t understand the smile. “I drove by them this morning. That will make getting to work easy. Is there a reason you’re nervous?” She’s calm and that voice holds curiosity, not anger.
Fuck yeah. Cort and Seren have her moving in with me. “Banks is looking for a place, but there’s a woman with three kids that needs to be close too. And the one-floor thing. Cort said if he can’t find anything, you’ll stay at my house so Seren is close and can help. She’s great with that and she’ll get Victory and Freedom to help too. It’s what she does.” I say it fast, but I hope it's enough to settle her.
I wait for her to scream at me. She looks at Leo, who is happy enough about this that his rubber neck is bouncing again with a goofy grin to go with it. “Do you have room for two roommates?” There is no smile on her face or any kind of spark in her eyes. They are a bit red and glassy, but I attribute that to the drugs and her crying.
“Seren said his house is huge like hers.”
I know he’s trying to help, but fuck. I just nod. She nods back. “Thank you for letting us stay if Banks doesn’t find somewhere I can live before that. The doctor said the cast will be on for closer to eight weeks, then I’ll be in a brace that I can bend my knee.”
Two months. Not one, but two months. Fuck. I’m glad and surprised she isn’t pissed, but fuck.
Leo talks to her about needing something for school. She looks concerned. “I can take him after work tomorrow or we can order anything we need from the Prospects. I’m not on Enforcer or partnered with Cort tomorrow so I won’t be home late.”
That little spark shows in her eyes. “Partnered with Cort has you working late?” She can’t always be amused. It must be the drugs.
“You have no idea. Today he had a dick in a dish thing going on. I’m glad we weren’t working an Enforcer shift. He would have dragged him around town himself in that satellite dish.”
She holds her shoulder laughing. “That’s why he’s at the hospital?” Leo asks and I look at Lorelei not knowing what to do. I need to watch what I say in front of him.
Lorelei looks like she’s waiting for that answer. Shit-sonofabitch-Jesus-fuck! “Well... he was on the dish pretty good, even when it fell off the pole. He only got some road rash and bruises from the ride, maybe the concussion. I don’t know. Cort told you’d he’d dole punishment, so he gave him what your Mom has. It’s an eye-for-an-eye thing with him.”
I’m not saying a fucking word about the laser burns. Banks said he stuttered through the confession. Lorelei’s eyes flash and I’ve got a semi. What the hell? The woman is in pain and has a kid standing right here. All is not copacetic here.
“I think that’s fair.” Is all she says. She’s not screaming at me. I shake my head.
“I kicked the jerk.”Fuck, this kid is going to get me shot.
Lifting my hands in front of me, I explain before her glare turns into screaming. “He got by me and it was just once. I picked him up and brought him back to you. Cort explained about keeping hands off women and it wouldn’t be good if Leo doled punishment. They agreed and Cort handled it.”
Her jaw tightens and eyes spark again. I’m not sure if she’s going to laugh or scream. It could go either way. With her nodding, I put my hands down. We need to leave before he says anything else that causes me shit. With a woman that’s probably going to be living with me. For two fucking months.
Chris comes in smiling. I’ve never been so happy to see her. “Lorelei, I wish it were under better circumstances, but I’m here to help you change for the night. I’ll get a Prospect to clean this up so you can move.”
Lorelei doesn't look as happy as Chris does. “Get out. I’m fine changing on my own.”
Chris turns and walks out. Okay, Iwashappy seeing her. I pull my phone and call Freedom. “Are you busy?”
“That’s a leading question. Tell me what you want and I’ll tell you whether I’m coming to your rescue.”
I laugh at that. “Lorelei’s old man got the better of her, she’s in Patcher’s medic room. She could use help changing for the night.”
“Fucking pussy needs to be locked up. I’m on my way.”
I’d tell her he is, but she hung up. “Freedom is on her way. She lives in the condos so it’ll be just a couple of minutes.”
“Thank you. I found that woman in my house and would rather not see her again.” I think it’s anger making her voice shake, but she’s talking softly. I can tell it’s anger in her eyes now.
I nod and sneak a look at Leo. He’s playing on his phone and I hope,notabsorbing everything going on. “I’ll make sure you don’t. I’m going to get out of here. Freedom will be here...” I hear her yelling at the Enforcer. “now,” I say, opening the door. The Enforcer has his gun out and pointed at the floor. “Stand down. Freedom, Victory or Seren are the only women in the room.”
“Roger, VP. The other one had a note from Patcher.”
