Page 4 of Monster's Madhouse
Monster
He really didn’t have time to sit around and talk to the pretty CPS lady who had delivered Drifter’s little sister to him. The teen was going to give him hell, and Monster had to admit that he was looking forward to watching that happen, so he decided to stick around for the show.
Monster had closed the bar early again to help Drifter get Josie settled. It was the least he could do for his friend. The poor guy seemed nervous as hell around his little sister, and Monster couldn’t blame him. The teen seemed completely unimpressed by her older brother or the fact that he had taken her in, given her a home, and probably ruined his dating life for quite some time. Not that Drifter seemed to have a dating life. It was yet another thing that the two of them had in common—they didn’t do commitment, and both of them had good reasons why.
But he saw the way that Drifter looked at Blitz, and Monster had to admit, he found himself looking at her the same way. She was hot, and he bet that underneath her pantsuit, she hid a few tattoos and was a very bad girl. He liked his women a little edgy. Most of the barflies who he played with were bad girls,and that worked for him because most women who considered themselves to be bad girls weren’t looking for relationships. They were out for a good time, and he wondered if Blitz would be up for the same thing.
They took two vehicles over to Drifter’s massive house. The thing was like a baby mansion. Monster had always loved that place, but he could never bring himself to buy something so big and ready for a family. He’d never have one of those again, so why waste his money on a five-bedroom house? He often wondered why Drifter had done so, but the guy seemed to want to lay down roots in town, and what better way than to buy the funeral home and one of the largest homes on Main Street?
Monster pulled in behind Drifter’s truck and got out, opening the door for Blitz before she got a chance to do it for herself. “Oh, um, thank you,” she breathed. He liked the way that she brushed by him as she grabbed her bag from the back seat next to Josie. “You ready?” she asked the teen. She grumbled something about hating her life and slid from the backseat of the truck.
“I take it things went well during your drive over then,” Monster joked.
“Fuck off,” Drifter breathed. Monster couldn’t help but chuckle as he clapped his friend on the shoulder. “You do know that things will get better, right?” he asked.
“And you know this how?” Drifter asked. His friend was right—he knew nothing about teen girls and how they would react to things. Especially long-lost brothers who were suddenly their guardians.
“Are you two coming, or are we doing this stupid tour on our own?” Josie said from the garage. She and Blitz were standing by the door, waiting for the two of them to show them around the big house, and they were cackling like a couple of hens.
“We’re coming,” Drifter grumbled. Monster wanted to point out just how much he and his little sister were alike but thought better of it when he saw the scowl on both of their faces.
“You sure that this is a good idea?” Monster teased.
“No, but she’s my sister,” Drifter said.
Drifter unlocked the garage door and shoved it open with a grunt, letting Josie and Blitz step inside first. Monster trailed behind her, broad grin in place, proud like he was about to show off a prize. Drifter just hoped that his sister felt the same way about her room. He led the way up to the second floor and stood in front of the bedroom that they had furnished for Josie, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open. Hell, he felt as though he was holding that breath, waiting for her response to all the hard work he and Monster had put in.
“See?” Drifter said, sweeping a hand toward the freshly painted walls and the new furniture. “Told you we’d set you up right. Not just a bed and four walls—this is yours. Safe. Comfortable.”
Josie’s eyes flicked around the room. The pale blue paint still smelled fresh. A quilt was folded neatly on the bed. A dresser, a nightstand, even a lamp that didn’t look like it had been taken out of the funeral home. Everything had been chosen carefully, and it showed.
But she only gave a half-shrug. “It’s, um—nice.”
Monster’s head snapped toward her, jaw tightening. “Nice? That’s all you’ve got to say to your brother?” His voice was sharp enough to make the air heavy.
Drifter’s grin faltered, his irritation flashing hot. “We busted our asses getting this room together, and we didn’t have much time to do it. You could at least appreciate our efforts, Josie.”
Josie crossed her arms, her chin lifting, walls already in place. “It’s a room, sure. But we both know that walls andfurniture—even family aren’t permanent. None of this means that shit lasts.”
Drifter’s fists clenched, the muscle in his jaw ticking like he was holding back a growl. Monster felt the same way. They had both worked hard to get the room ready for Josie, and she was treating it as though it wasn’t any big deal. He swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair. Before the storm broke, Blitz stepped in, laying a calming hand on Drifter’s arm. “Hey. Be patient.” Her voice was firm, steady, the one thing that could cut through both their tempers. She turned her gaze at them both. “She’s not ungrateful. She just…” Blitz glanced at Josie, reading the weight in her eyes. “She’s been through enough. Nothing’s felt permanent for her in a long time.”
Drifter’s glare eased just a fraction, though his arms stayed crossed tight over his chest. “Doesn’t mean she gets to spit on what we give her.” Yeah, his friend was going to need some time to get used to having his teenage sister around. He hadn’t known many teenage girls himself, but from what he did know about them, they weren’t easy creatures to deal with.
“She’s not spitting on it,” Blitz said softly. “She’s just scared to believe it’ll last. You know how your mother is, Drifter.” Monster shot his friend a sympathetic look. Drifter had told him about his shitty upbringing—his father disappearing when he was just a kid and his mother’s neglect. Honestly, Monster used to envy what Drifter had since he had grown up in the system with no parents. But finding out that Drifter’s mother just up and left his little sister, well, he was starting to get the bigger picture, and it sucked for both Josie and Drifter.
Drifter’s expression softened, though his tone stayed stubborn. “I remember her, and I’m sorry that she just left, Josie, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going anywhere. You have nowhere else to go, so why not let down your guard a bit and try to appreciate what Monster and I have done here?” He lookedpast Josie, straight at Blitz. “And since you seem to understand what my sister is going through, you’re staying here too. You’re staying in one of my guest rooms tonight. No arguments.” Blitz looked like she wanted to give him one hell of an argument, although Josie looked a bit relieved. Maybe Drifter was onto something here. Maybe the kid needed to have Blitz stick around for a bit until she got settled in with Drifter. But he had a feeling that there was more to the story about Drifter wanting Blitz to stay with him. She’d be just down the hallway from him, and that thought pissed Monster off a bit—he just wasn’t sure why.
Blitz blinked, taken aback. “Drift—”
Monster cut in, voice almost a whisper. “Maybe she doesn’t want to stay here with you,” he said. “I can offer you a room above the clubhouse. It might not be the nicest of the quietest, but it will give you some privacy.” Monster shot Drifter a look, letting him know that two could play at that game. Maybe giving Blitz a choice of which one of them she wanted to stay with would help them both see who she liked. Hell, maybe she didn’t want either of them, and that was going to sting a bit. The three of them had just met, but there was something about the CPS worker that made Monster a little hot, but in a very good way—a way that he hadn’t felt in a damn long time.
Drifter didn’t seem too happy with Monster’s idea of having Blitz stay at the clubhouse. He squared his shoulders, stepping closer to Monster, heat sparking between the two men. “She needs space and a safe place. I’ve got it here. Plus, she can help Josie get adjusted. End of discussion.”
Monster moved in too, his scowl carved deep. “Don’t tell me where Blitz stays. She makes that call, not you.” He wasn’t sure why either of them was fighting over a woman who still hadn’t voiced her opinion about where she wanted to stay. They both turned to Blitz, as though signaling that it was time for her to make a decision. She was going to have to choose one of them,and the other was going to be left feeling dejected, but that was what they were asking her to do—reject one of them outright.
The room thickened with tension, Josie watching from the bed, Blitz caught between them—looking like a deer caught in the headlights. She sighed; the weight of both men’s stubbornness seemed heavy on her shoulders.
“Maybe you two should stop arguing about where I stay,” Blitz said dryly, “and start focusing on making this place feel like home for her.” She nodded toward Josie, who sat silent, hugging herself like she was bracing against more than just raised voices.
