Page 25 of Property of BamBam
Olivia
I’m heading down to the kitchen to help the others put dinner together since it’s our night to cook for the house when I hear Ashley call out. “Livy! You’ve got company!”
Instead of turning left to head into the kitchen, I go right and walk into what I guess most would consider a formal living room to see BamBam standing there. “Hey,” I shyly say. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen him, so I’m almost healed except for the occasional twinges in my ribs and of course, the cast on my left arm.
“Hey, Livy. How’ve you been?” he asks, moving closer as he glances up and down my body. “You look like you’re moving a lot easier.”
I snicker then nod. “They’d probably be better already even though the doctor said up to eight weeks if not for Mr. Chonk.”
He chuckles then asks, “Where is Theo?”
I pat the monitor in my pocket and say, “He’s down for his nap.”
“Do you have a few minutes to talk?” he questions.
“Sure.” I nod my head then give him two options. “We can go back to the family room or stay here.”
“Here’s probably better,” he replies, sitting down on one of the overstuffed chairs. I sit across from him and wait because it seems like he’s trying to gather his thoughts. “Okay, here’s the deal. I was in town collecting the money from the machines at the laundromat and Jasper as well as two of his buddies came in and started harassing our employee.”
Even as fear races through me, causing a cold sweat to break out across my body, I ask, “Are they okay? He didn’t hurt this person, did he?”
“One of them punched him, but Buddy’s okay,” BamBam states. “Buddy is tougher than most give him credit for. However, he said something that got me thinking and once I got back to the clubhouse, I decided to investigate. Seems that someone was in the woods across from where we found you the day you ran. They got curious about us after seeing you and Theo get into the truck, so they followed us to the store, then watched Mongrel as he bought stuff for a woman and a baby. Pokey, our IT guy, was able to check into the store’s cameras, as well as those in the parking lot, and saw the guy taking pictures and obviously texting. So, in a sense, they’ve found you since most folks know of or have heard of the Triple R.”
“I need to leave,” I murmur, my mind racing as I think of everything I’ll need to pack so I can get out of here. “I can’t stay here, BamBam. By me being around, everyone I’ve come to care about is in imminent danger.”
“You’re not going anywhere, Livy,” he says. “You’re safe here, I promise. This building has state of the art security, and now that we know they suspect you’re in the area, we’ll be watching over the house as well. We won’t let them hurt you, Theo, or anyone else for that matter.”
“He’s not a good guy,” I whisper, shame now engulfing me. One simple act of kindness on BamBam’s part could possibly get a lot of people hurt or worse… killed.
“No, I knew he wasn’t from the moment I laid eyes on you and saw what he did to you,” he agrees. “But what you don’t understand is this isKingsterritory, and nobody fucks with us.” I’ve heard him use that statement before, but it doesn’t settle the flight instincts thrumming through me.
“That means I won’t be able to go with the girls when they go shopping this weekend.” This feels like another way I’m letting people down. We’ve had this outing planned for a few days and I was excited to spend time with them outside of this facility and possibly form a few strong friendships.
It’s been several weeks since he brought me here and I’ve been housebound. Sure, if I need something, I can put it on a list and they’ll pick it up for me, but I was actually looking forward to getting away from the house, even if only for a few hours. Hearing that I’m going to be stuck again is disheartening.
“No, what it means is that I’ll come and get you and Theo and take y’all a couple of towns over,” he says, his tone letting me know he means business and there’ll be no talking him out of it. He’s done so much for me and Theo that putting him on Jasper’s radar unsettles me. “I’ll bring Pancho’s or Luis’s truck since theirs doesn’t have anything on it denoting they’re from the Triple R. You’ll get your outing, Livy, I promise.”
“I’m sorry. I probably sound like a selfish bitch,” I mumble.
“You’ve actually handled being stuck inside a lot better than I thought you would,” he teases. “Most women would be chomping at the bit to get out and go.”
Shrugging, I state, “I’m not most women, couldn’t afford to be, but even before I left, I was usually stranded at home. I think it has more to do with the fact that Ican’tgo more than anything.” I’m so damn tired of my choices being stripped from me and being at the mercy of somebody else.
“Got something else I wanted to discuss with you as well,” he says, stopping my thoughts in their tracks.
Granted, right now, my brain feels like a squirrel that ate a bunch of sugar, but still, what else is there for him to talk to me about? Even though I’m hesitant to ask, my curiosity gets the better of me. “Okay,” I drawl out. “What is it?”
“Well, we can’t start it yet, but once this threat to you and Theo is eliminated, there’s a job that’ll be opening up at the laundromat if you want it,” he replies. “It’s new and still in the planning stages, but I think it’ll be what you’re looking for once you’re set free. We’re wanting to expand the services we offer to include a wash service that folks will pay for by the pound, and also washing those large comforters and blankets that most residential washing machines and dryers can’t handle.”
“What about Theo?” I ask.
“There’s a decent sized office where we can set up a play yard for him and fill it with toys, a crib, and whatnot when you’re busy and need something to keep him occupied,” he says. “Plus, there’s a two-bedroom apartment above the laundromat whereyou can stay. The salary would include that as well as an incentive.”
I sit back from my rigid, upright position as my eyes widen. I’ve honestly never really been on my own before. The few weeks between my parents dying and when I moved in with Jasper really don’t count as far as I’m concerned because I was so immersed in my grief, I was moving like I was a robot being controlled by someone else with a remote. Plus, the old lady who lived next door to us, Mrs. Merrick, was constantly hovering to make sure I was alright.
“Really?” I question. “So, let me get this straight, I’d have a jobanda place to live?”
“Yep,” he replies, smirking at me.
