by Mj Fields
Maze smirks. “Pretty good chance it’ll start with paranoia.”
“Maze, you’re the one I trust most; please do not make a joke about this right now.”
“No joke, Little Bell; you’re gonna be so fucked up.”
I look at the bag. “ ‘Recommended usage: no more than two in a four-hour period. No more than four a day. Keep refrigerated and—’ ”
“Gimme that.” Grimm snatches the bag then swipes the gummies on the table and into the bag.
“Seriously, guys, have any of you taken three of these at a time, like ever?” I look around and shake my head.
Grimm reaches into the bag and pulls some out. He opens his hand, revealing three, then pops them into his mouth and swallows them without even chewing. “I have.”
This is bad. This is so fucking bad.
“Dude, what the fuck?” Axel snatches the bag.
“I’m not gonna be a bitch and let her do it alone.”
I slap my palm against my forehead. “Grimm, I wish you had.”
“Your date tonight?” Maze whispers, but we all hear him.
“Fuck.” Grimm runs his hand through his hair. “Well, I got a few hours. Let’s see how it goes.”
I hear the door open as I watch Axel move to the fridge, toss them in, and kick the door shut. When I look back, Blade and Breaker are walking in, and behind them, Tags is carrying an armful of pizza.
This is going to be so fucking bad.
“We’re here to celebrate.”
Ranger sighs. “Shit.”
Blazing
Tags
“This is a joke, right?” I ask for the second time since the idiots told me that Isabella was about to take flight.
“Nope.” Grimm grins. It’s fucking creepy seeing him acting more human than corpse. Add that smile, and it’s not just creepy; it’s downright disturbing.
I hurry to the bathroom and pound on the door.
“We’re in here right now. Please hold.”
Taking a chance that it’s not locked; I turn the knob and open the door.
“Who’s we?”
“Me and her.” She throws her thumb over her shoulder at the mirror.
“That’s your reflection, Bella.”
“Call me, Little Bell.” She grins, and not creepily like Grimm, but not the normal, I’m-a-badass-little-seductress-and-I’m-gonna-fuck-a-hole-in-your-heart-with-my-spirit-dick Isabella either. She pouts out her bottom lip. “Okay, but they call me it, and everyone else does, too. Well, not here, but home. My daddy calls me Little Bella, and Cyrus, and Zandor, and Xavier, and Momma Joe, and Momma Carly, and Aunt Tara, and Aunt—”
“Okay, Dorothy, just a heads-up, you’re gonna feel like you’re not in Kansas anymore, but you’re gonna be fine in a few hours. Best thing for you to do is chill the fuck out and—”
She pushes past me. “Let’s watch The Wizard of Oz, guys!”
Running my hand over my face, I try to figure out what the fuck I’m going to do next.
“We were going to show them the tape we’ve been working on; how about that instead?”
Great idea, Stanley.
“But then can we watch The Wizard of Oz? It’s my favorite movie of all time. And it has to be the original. The original is the best. I can show you all sorts of things you never even noticed in the film, because I used to watch it every day. It’s the best movie ever.”
“Ever?” Blade asks, fucking with her.
I walk into the room and lean against the wall, watching Bella walk in a circle and smile at everyone.
“Oh yes, it is. The absolute best.” She turns and looks at Maze. “Maze, I think you’ll love it most of all.”
“I’ve seen it.”
She lunges at him and hugs him. “Isn’t it the best movie in the …?” She stops midsentence, lifts her nose in the air, and sniffs. “Pizza!”
She looks at Axel. “Pizza’s the best food on the planet. Pizza in Italy is so different than in Jersey.” She scratches her head. “Actually, different than pizza in New York, too. And they call themselves Italians.” She slaps her knee and snorts. “Folle.”
“What?” Ranger chuckles.
She spins in a circle and grins when her eyes land on him. “Folle. It means crazy in Italian.”
“You speak Italian?”
“No, Momma Joe does. She’s from there. Her mother is Isabella, and that’s who I was named after, which makes no sense because Momma Joe left there at seventeen and married my grandpa Jonathon. He died. I never got to meet him. It makes me sad, Ranger.” She grabs his hand. “Really, really sad because he was alive, and my mom’s parents had custody, and they never let me see them. I didn’t meet my father until I was seven.” She lifts her nose in the air, drops his hand, and sniffs again. “Pizza. God, I’m hungry. Shit, it’s because of the cannabis bears, right? Or did I not eat today? Oh fuck.” She turns toward Axel. “It’s short-term memory loss, right? That’s what happens, and it’s already happening, and I really don’t want it to happen. I have some amazing memories from the past month, and I don’t want to forget them. Fuck.” She walks over and sits on the bed. “Next thing you know, I’ll be buying Sweet Leaf jewelry and screaming, fuck the police!” Which she literally screams. “God, I want to learn Italian. How do you think you’d say fuck the police and Sweet Leaf in Italian? God, I want to learn Italian.”
I grab a box off the top of the pile of pizzas and walk over, sitting next to her and opening the box. “How about you try some pizza made by an Italian—Little Caesar.”
“Caesar would roll over in his tomb. He wasn’t Italian; he was Roman.” She grins at me then gives me a wink.
Here we fucking go, I think to myself.
Then it’s as if her mind snaps its fingers in front of her.
“Actually, he was cremated. What they call his tomb is on the ruins of the Temple of Caesar, and it looks like a big pile of elephant shit. You wanna see a tomb, Tags? You should see Napoleon’s in Paris. King Tut would roll over in his sarcophagus.” She stops and looks at Grimm. “You would totally love it.”
“Is it six feet under? If so, no thank you; that’s a lot of work just to see a dead thing.”
She pouts out her bottom lip. “I love you, Grimm.” She crawls up the bed and musses up his hair. “Both parts of you.”
“I love you, too, Little Bellarina.”
She laughs out loud and from her belly. “Oh my God, I hated ballet class. I used to beg Dad to let me stay with him at the shop instead of going, but he was all like”—she clears her throat then talks in what I assume she thinks her father sounds like—“Little Bell, you made a commitment, and we Steels stick to our commitments. I would’ve liked to see him dancing around to a bunch of boring piano music with a bunch of stuffy-ass bitches.” She sniffs the air again. “Tags, pizza.”
“How long does this shit last?” Breaker asks.
“Any of you know the number to wherever the fuck you bought the shit?” I ask.
“Edible truck on the strip. Blazed Goods,” Axel answers.
“Hey.” Bella pokes me. “Are you gonna sit there with all that yummy goodness on your lap, or are you gonna put it in my mouth?”
Pins dropping from a mile away could be heard, and she hasn’t a fucking clue.
She pokes me again then takes the pizza. “Fine by me. I’ll eat it all by myself and lick my fingers clean afterward. No piece of pizza for you tonight, Tag-a-lag-a-ding-dong.”
“Holy fucking shit, man, you gonna do something about that, or you gonna sit there like a rabid dog waiting for the chain to get cut loose?” Blade laughs.
I glare at him. “She’s fucked up, sayin’ shit she doesn’t even know she’s sayin’, so you back the fuck off her.”
“I know exactly what I’m sayin’.” She takes a bite of the pizza then smiles. “It may only be half-Italian, but it tastes like sexy goodness to—”
“Someone put on the movie,” I cut her off.
“We’re kind
of enjoying the pizza porn, man. No harm, no foul.” Axel smirks.
“Stanley?” I nearly beg.
An hour later, and she’s balled up in bed, crying as we watch the movie.
“I love you all so much. We’re family, right?”
Maze chuckles. “You getting any of this on tape, Stan?”
“Wouldn’t be right to tape her when she didn’t know it.”
Something about the way he says it has me thinking he’s full of shit.
I glance toward the TV stand and see the little camera sitting there.
“Stan, Maze, why are you over there and not with the crew?” Bella sniffles.
Can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I do. “Your little leader has called; you should go.”
As soon as they do, and when no one’s looking, I snatch the camera and go into the bathroom. I pull out the SD card and pocket it.
Fucker, I think as I walk back out, camera hidden behind me, and place it back where it was.
“I’m so thirsty.” She wipes her tears.
I hate tears, but it’s not from pain or sorrow; it’s canna-bear induced.
“Can we watch it again? Please, please, please. I promise it’s different every time.” Swear to God, she’s taken on the pouty tone of Dorothy’s voice.
I look over at her. Her eyes are closed, and we’re twenty minutes in.
I look around her. All eyes are glued to the TV. This is what Stan should have taped. Fucking comical. A bed full of stoned badasses watching a movie and eating everything in sight.
“How long did the guy say before the high wore off?” Blade asks.
“Few hours, maybe longer.” Maze answers still looking at the TV.
Blade shakes his head, “It’s been three, man, and as comical as it’s been, I think I’m gonna jet. You wanna hang?”
I shake my head. “Thanks, though. Maybe next time.”
Blade gives me his fist. “Catch you tomorrow.”
I look at my watch. Half an hour before Luna calls.
“I’m heading out, too.” Breaker pats my back. “Have fun with the crew.”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Should have eaten the shit they all did.” He laughs as he walks out.
Five high as fuck men and her all on the bed. She looks … well, she’s drooling. Still looks good, though.
I walk over to the bed. “How you feeling, Grimm?”
“Fucking beautiful.” He smiles as he looks at the TV.
“I’m gonna get this one to her room.”
“She can stay,” Ranger, who’s acting as a foot stool for the little stoner, says.
“You guys need to get ready for his date. Chaperone if necessary.”
“A hooker.” He grins. “Paid for extras, too.”
“Yeah, so we’ve heard … five times, man. Have fun. Wrap that shit.”
I lift Bella over my shoulder and walk toward the door.
“Hey,” she mumbles. “No fair. I was partying like a fucking rock star, buddy.”
Thankfully, the door shuts behind me before she grabs two handfuls of my ass.
“Easy, sweets. Go back to sleep.”
She laughs and swats my ass hard enough that it stings. “Imma bite your ass.”
“You do, and I’ll spank yours.”
Bad fucking thing to say. She bites my back instead.
“Isabella, I will wreck your ass if you do that shit again.”
“If you’re going to be a douche, take me back to my boys.”
“You’re done for the night, girl.” I laugh as I slide the key card in the slot.
“I’ll scream for help if you don’t take me back. I’m not ready yet.”
“I’m calling it a night for you.”
“Let me go!” she screams then laughs.
As soon as I flop her ass on the bed, I’m pushed from behind and into the fucking wall.
“You have two seconds to take your hands off me before I …” I stop when my arm gets wrenched back.
Panic sets in.
“Bella, get the fuck out of here!”
I fight with all I am to turn the fuck around, giving myself a fair chance at two on one.
When I get turned, I realize it’s not two; it’s four.
“Um, Carter?”
“Bella, I said get the fuck out NOW!”
“Bella, you keep your ass put and call a fucking ambulance before you call security. No one puts their hands on my little girl.”
Same coloring, similar features.
Fuck me, I think as I release his shirt.
“You must be Bella’s father.”
He pushes his forearm into my chest, his glare intensifying.
“I think you’ve got the wrong impression, and I also think you better take your hands off me before I decide to fight back, and that won’t be good for either one of us.”
“You feeling froggy, boy? Jump.”
“Jase!” A woman with blonde hair gets between us.
“Not now, C. I’m kind of busy.”
“I will wring your neck if you don’t let the young man go, Steel.”
His head takes a hard left as he looks at her like she’s nuts. “Don’t pull this now.”
“I can fight, Jase. I can fight and scratch and—”
“Baby, you didn’t even bring your vagina hat, so simmer down and let me take care of this shit.”
“I don’t need a vagina hat; I have a crown and stilettos.” She glares back at him, and he smiles at her. She shakes her head as she tries not to smile. “Let go of him and go say hi to your daughter.”
He’s loosened up enough that I quickly slide out from under him and past three other sets of glaring eyes.
“Everything good in here?” Maze pops his head in.
“Everything’s good.” I nod as I try to block his view of the shitstorm beyond me.
“You wanna go with us? I paid for extra. Whatever extra is,” Grimm says from behind Maze.
“Dude, no one wants to share a hooker with you, Grimm.” Ranger laughs. “She’s all yours, stud.”
Ranger attempts to walk past me, but I block him.
“Oh yeah, you with the good intentions, taking blazed Bella back to her room.”
“Bella, you got water in here? Cottonmouth is killing me right now.” Axel stands toe-to-toe with me. “Dude, you do not want to stand between me and water right now. I will throw down.”
“Lots of water in here,” another woman’s voice says from behind me. “Come on in; we’d love to meet y’all.”
“Well, baby doll, we’d love to be met.” Ranger grins over my shoulder at her. “Hey y’all, I’m Ranger.”
“Baby doll has an angry daddy, Ranger dick; you may want to show some fucking respect.”
“Zandor,” she scolds.
“Kitten,” he says softly but with command, “not now. I’m full of my twenty-year-old’s testosterone and the top floor’s pretty fucking far away.”
Another woman giggles. “Oh, come on. They’re Bella’s friends.” She ducks under my arm.
“Birdy,” another voice warns.
“I’m Tara.” She sticks her hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
“You hear that, boys?” Another male laughs. “That’s the sound of your balls being deflated when you find one worth keeping.”
“Nice, Xavier.” Yet another woman laughs.
I look back as the redhead high-fives who I now know is Xavier.
“I have a good idea.” Bella finally decides to show up. “How about we watch The Wizard of Oz again? I really like that movie.”
Axel, Maze, Ranger, and Grimm all say, “We know; it’s your favorite.”
I step back, and they all pile in.
I look over as Bella gives her father a smile. “Daddy, this is Axel, Maze, Grimm, Ranger, and Tags. Guys, this is my dad, Momma Carly, Cyrus, Tara, Zandor, Bekah, Xavier, and Taelyn, my aunts and uncles.”
She looks back at Jase. “Dad, I’m high as fuck, so if this
is you and not a hallucination caused by canna-bears, you’re gonna have to excuse me while I drink a gallon of water and fall asleep for a while.”
Jase looks at me and points. “You care to explain?”
My phone vibrates in my pocket. “Sure. After I talk to my daughter.”
As I’m walking out, I hear Maze say, “It’s actually a pretty funny story.”
“Yeah? You think my daughter being high is fucking funny, man?”
Bella yawns. “Imaginary Daddy, be nice to him; he’s Forever Steel.”
“Do I look imaginary, Isabella?” he snaps.
“I sure hope so because, if not, you’re going to be so pissed at me.”
“Bella …” Jase groans.
When she doesn’t answer, I assume she’s passed out.
Lucky girl.
I step out into the hallway and look at the phone. She doesn’t normally FaceTime at night. I hit accept.
“Hey, baby girl. What color’s the sky?”
“Pink and yellow.”
“Pink and yellow, huh?”
“What color’s yours?” she asks.
I look up. “I’m inside, but remember, we have a time difference now.”
She nods. “How many more sleeps?”
I hold up two fingers, and she grins.
“You sleepy, baby girl?”
She nods and rubs her eyes.
“Time to put the moon to sleep?”
“Then send it to you?”
“You’re in charge of the moon, Luna. You tell me.”
“The moon’s tired.”
“Then the moon should go to sleep.”
“You going to sleep?”
“As soon as the moon gets here.”
“Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you, too, Luna. Give the old lady a hug goodnight.”
“Face phone in the morning?”
“Every morning till I see you again.”
“I get a puppy when we win.” She yawns.
“Yeah, baby girl, you get a puppy when we win. Love you, Luna.”
“Love you, Daddy.” She leans in and looks closer at me. “Hey, Daddy, who’s the pretty lady?”
I look behind me as Carly waves.
“A friend, Luna.”
“She gonna be my mommy?”
