Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 76029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
"Small miracle," Huck mumbled. "And what do we do with her?"
"We can't send her home, traumatized like she is, to her addict parents who don't even know she's missing," I insisted.
There was a chorus of agreement to that.
"She seems happy with the girls, with Belle especially," Teddy said. "Maybe they can hang onto her until Joss is free? School is out. No one has reported her missing."
"True. Maybe once Joss is awake, we can get him to leave his parents a message about taking Betty away for a week, just to keep them from asking questions," Huck said.
"Fucking ridiculous that she has to stay with those people," Remy grumbled.
"Maybe Joss can take guardianship one day," Alaric suggested.
"A twenty-year-old kid who works at a liquor store?" Teddy asked. "Not likely."
"Maybe a twenty-year-old kid who works as a mechanic, though," Eddie suggested, looking at Huck. "Good, stable work, lots of references. A network of friends, including women with kids..."
"Are you suggesting I take on Joss as a prospect?" Huck asked, looking frustrated, yet resigned at the same time.
"I'm not saying nothing, boss man. I mean, I'm not saying nothing until, you know, the man gets guardianship in writing and shit," he added, smirking.
"I'll think about it," Huck agreed. "But, yeah, we could use some more hands at the shop if you all are willing to put in the work to train him."
"We can do that," Remy agreed, nodding.
"When the fuck did we all become philanthropists?" Huck mumbled, reaching for a cup of coffee that his woman promptly plucked out of his hands, putting it back down on the counter.
"You've always been a good man," she told him, grabbing his hand, and starting to pull him away. "But even good men need some sleep," she added, half-dragging him down the hall to the bedroom.
"Not a bad idea," Remy agreed.
"Yeah, you guys get some sleep. I'm going to be up," I told them.
"Me too," Eddie agreed. "I'll keep the little whippersnappers awake too," he added, meaning Seeley's friends.
"Plus my security has a picture of Anton," Teddy added, pushing away his coffee cup as well. "He's not getting in this building."
"Why don't the rest of you take the bedroom Belle and Shy were in?" I suggested. "We're all gonna crash in the living room," I explained.
No one objected, which went to say how tired everyone was.
After everyone filed out, I brought Shy and Belle over some hot chocolate which they drank as they stared blankly at something they'd put on the TV.
Eventually, Belle got up to go check on Betty. And must have passed out in there, because she didn't come back.
"How are you really?" I asked, climbing onto the couch with Shy, pulling her up between my legs to rest on my chest.
"Tired but wired at the same time," she admitted. "I just keep replaying it."
"That might go on for a while."
"Yeah," she agreed. "I kind of see why Belle was so withdrawn. And I was only there for a couple hours, not days. And nothing that traumatic happened to me."
"Don't downplay it. It might not have been the same as what Belle went through, but that doesn't mean it wasn't traumatic for you."
She was silent at that, processing it.
"Joss told me I'm going to feel crappy for weeks," she grumbled as she snuggled in, the pain meds likely finally kicking in.
"Depends," I told her. "You might."
"I can always count on you for comfort," she quipped.
"You can always count on me for the truth," I corrected. "You wouldn't be happy if I said you're going to feel back to normal in the morning, and you feel dizzy and queasy and tired for a week."
"That's true," she agreed.
"But you know what?"
"No, what?"
"You got me here to take care of you."
"Will you wear a nurse's uniform?" she asked, letting out a girlish giggle at the idea, making me wonder if I'd gone a bit overboard with the pills, especially since she never took any.
"No. But if you're high enough on the meds, you might be able to imagine I did."
"My head feels better," she admitted.
"Good. You need to get some sleep."
"Okay," she agreed, taking a deep breath. I swear she was asleep before she even released it.
As for me, I didn't sleep.
I don't know if it was the after effects of the fear, of the adrenaline, or if a part of me was still paranoid about a desperate Anton trying one more time, but I sat there holding Shy as she slept, as the night moved to morning, and everyone started to stir.
We all stayed at Teddy's for the morning as Booker, Huck, and some of the guys went over to the clubhouse to check for any added security measures we could put into place.
By the afternoon, we decided it was time to head home, knowing there was still a threat, but also very aware of the fact that we couldn't put our lives on pause because of it.