Page 90 of Fangs
“She used this soap that was real strong smellin’,” Griz explained. “Whoever did this broke a whole fuckin’ bottle of the scent in there.” He looked at me. “You can spend another night at Nemo’s while we air the clinic out.”
Wolf’s crew exchanged looks like they were having a silent conversation before Wolf turned back to me. “I don’t want you to be alone.”
My brow furrowed.
“Somebody vandalized your clinic in a personal attack.” He gave me a familiar, exasperated look.
“She won’t be alone,” Griz said.
Wolf frowned, his eyes narrowing on Griz, but Griz had already turned back to me.
“You ready to head over there?” Griz asked.
“Wait,” Wolf interrupted, stepping into my space. “I want to hear you agree to the terms of our deal.”
The angry words about where exactly he could shove his fucking deal almost escaped my mouth, but I managed to hold them in. “Deal,” I muttered. It wasn’t like I had an actual choice.
My brother’s eyes narrowed, almost like he knew what I hadn’t said. “I always keep my end of the bargain, Ember. I expect you to do the same.”
I turned and walked away to avoid saying something I’d regret, and Griz followed my lead. I drew in slow and steady breaths, and I’d cooled my temper a bit by the time we reached Nemo’s house. Nemo’s guards greeted us quietly. I recognized several of them as guards who found me in Madame’s cell, and I couldn’t tell if they seemed uncomfortable around me or if I was imagining it.
“Are you staying?” I asked as we climbed the stairs.
“Yep,” he replied, and part of me relaxed.
Griz pulled a folded cot out from behind the bed and set it up in front of the door. Once we were both in bed and the light flicked off, my brain seemed to come alive.
MURDERER.
I swallowed hard and rolled over onto my stomach, trying to think of anything else, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw blood—the gaping hole in the side of Trey’s head, Madame’s neck, the knife in Juck’s chest. I flopped into several different positions, but I couldn’t get my brain to shut off.
“Griz?” I whispered.
“Yeah?” he answered immediately.
“Do you have any family here?”
“Not anymore, why?”
“I was just wonderin’.”
“That why you’re tossin’ and turnin’ over there?” I could hear his smile. “Cause you’re wonderin’ about my family?”
“No,” I muttered. “Just tryin’ to…to not think.”
“Ah,” he said more gently. “You want to hear about ’em?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, relieved.
“My grandma raised me. My dad died before I was born, and my mom died when I was two in a farming accident. I don’t remember much about her, but I guess she loved to sing.” He huffed a quiet laugh. “She was always singin’, but nobody minded ’cause she was real good at it. I guess she used to sing when she was out workin’ in the fields, and even the animals would get quiet like they were listening, too.”
“Do you sing?” I asked.
He laughed. “No, I didn’t inherit that trait, I guess. My grandma was a farmer, too, when she was able. She started losing her sight when I was about six. By the time I was ten, I was takin’ care of her more than the other way around. I actually liked it, takin’ care of her, but she wanted me to go be somethin’ more than her caretaker or a farmer.”
I remembered all the times Griz nursed me back to health; no wonder he was so good at it.
“My grandma wanted me to get into the guards. I didn’t really want to, but I realized if I worked my way up, I could provide her with an easier life in her final years. When I started training, I bunked with three other kids. Two wouldn’t stop talking, and one never said a word. Bet you’ll never guess who they were.”
