Page 104 of Maddox
Kneeling beside the bed, I stare at the empty tampon box where I kept my stash of money.
It wasn’t much but it was mine and now it’s gone. Where is he? Out buying beer?
With a sigh, I sit on the couch, holding my aching head.
I’ll wait til the fucker comes home. He’s not going to get away with this. Nope, I’ll wither away here for the rest of my life if it means I get to see the bastard’s face when he falls.
Except, I sit there all night, and he never appears.
The following Monday, I go to school because I don’t know what else to do. Maybe he’ll be home later?
Maybe this is all a coincidence, and the Aces were just asking about an old friend?
That’s about as likely as my money magically returning. Did Joey run or did they find him?
While I spent the remainder of the weekend brooding over what to do, I’ve only managed to mire myself in more confusion.
As long as my mom is in treatment, she’s safe for now. I could go to Peter, but I don’t know how muchheknows and I’m afraid to involve him when I’m operating in the dark.
I get a few curious stares which is no surprise. I have road rash across one cheek and a fat lip.
What they can’t see but aches like a bitch are my bruised knees. At least I hope they’re just bruised.
Between the second and third period, Micah waylays me in the hall.
Despite everything that has transpired, tears fill my eyes when he says, “Babe? What happened? Are you okay?”
I want so badly to step into his arms, but I can’t open that door now that it’s finally closed. Besides, he isn’t a safe place for me anymore, assuming he ever was.
Now, more than ever, I understand the divide between us. Micah can’t help me, anyway.
His daddy sells cars at a dealership in the next town over. Not only that, but he’s got a big mouth, and I don’t want this getting back to Peter.
I may not understand the inner workings of MC business, but I know involving the cops could be a very bad thing for my family.
At lunch, I avoid the masses by hiding in the library.
I’m staring into nothing and pretending my life didn’t just take a nosedive which shouldn’t be possible because I thought I was as low as I could get when Draven plops down across from me.
“Hey,” she says.
Blinking her into focus, I murmur, “Hey.”
It can’t be a coincidence that after her brother and dad asked about Joey, the Aces appeared.
Why? What could he possibly know that those bruisers would want? Don’t they stick together or some shit?
“What happened to your face?” she asks, cocking her head.
“I walked into a wall.”
She chuffs and looks away before saying, “I shouldn’t be telling you this but…”
“But what?” I ask, warily.
She glances around before leaning in. “I overheard my brother talking to my pops.”
“Okay.”
