The fiery-haired woman gives me the once-over and then checks out Monroe. The well-coifed guy zeros in on my woman’s tits. I can’t really blame them. She’s looking all kinds of sexy in a too small Cedar Point T-shirt that I suspect she swiped from Amity.
“How hard are we going in?” Aja asks, making Eckles snicker.
“We plan to grab her when she goes to a doctor’s appointment. We’ll ride up, point our guns, look scary, grab her, and ride out of town.”
“Sounds easy,” Gully grunts. “Why are we here again?”
“Because this is personal business, and I don’t know if pointing our guns will make the assholes trigger-happy. Besides, Monroe can’t shoot for shit.”
“I can shoot fine,” she mutters despite how badly she did at the shooting range before we left Elko. “I just need the target to be very close.”
Aja grins at me. “This sounds easy. Let’s get her mom and bust out of this vanilla shithole before I start singing hymns and wondering if I can find a big strong man to think for me.”
Soon, we scope out the office building where Needy’s doctor is located. Yesterday, she faked ear pain to get an appointment. Everything is in order. Nothing seems out of place. Why am I so fucking worried?
“As soon as they enter the parking lot, we’ll box them in,” I explain while Aja leans into my window and Lowell sits in the driver’s seat. “We’ll swarm Needy’s car and grab her.”
“She usually has one escort. Two at most. Guys his age,” she says, gesturing toward Lowell, “but nothing hardcore. They’ll be armed, though.”
“Then be very scary, so they’ll be too busy pissing themselves to fire their guns.”
Aja smiles at me. “I’m notorious for being quite terrifying.”
“Without a doubt.”
“However, they might see my tits and feel less inclined to pee-pee their big boy pants. So, how about I drive your car and Minx handles ours. Then, you tatted badasses can flash your muscles at Needy’s escorts to ensure we get the response we want.”
Lowell approves of this idea. He switches to the passenger’s spot while Aja takes the wheel. I get in the back seat with Monroe, whose big brown eyes beg me for reassurance.
“The guys with Needy are small-time thugs. Don’t worry.”
Monroe tries to give me a smile but fails when her face gets stuck in paranoid mode. I know she won’t settle down until Needy sits next to her, and Lowell and I are safely back in the car. Once we’re out of town, Monroe will forget the panic she currently feels.
But for now, she gnaws violently at her bottom lip until I kiss it. “Don’t eat your face while I’m gone.”
Monroe starts to smile until Aja says Needy’s car has been sighted by her people.
“We’re on.”
Though Monroe opens her mouth to speak, she only stares fearfully instead.
“I know, baby,” I say as Aja gets ready to block Needy’s silver Explorer pulling into the parking lot.
Calming herself, Monroe offers me a weak smile. I force my gaze off her and focus on the incoming target.
In the past, I analyzed problems to death. I lost much of that hesitation when I was hunting the Killing Joes Motorcycle Club with Aja. Right now, in this SUV, the noise in my head shuts the fuck up until I feel completely calm.
The next few minutes move in slow-mo. Aja pulls our SUV in front of Needy’s. I see a man in the passenger seat. Needy must be in the back. The bulky driver honks at us. Then, he notices the black Suburban behind him, blocking his vehicle.
Our four car doors open as one. I never think to watch out for Lowell or the other two men. My instincts take over. Moving toward the silver SUV, I lift my shotgun and point it at the driver. Lowell yells for him to keep his hands on the wheel. I see the passenger muscle considering his options. Every fucking thought is written on the middle-aged man’s face.
Needy doesn’t wait for him to react. She opens her door immediately. I see him reach for her. My shotgun taps his window while Gully hollers at the men in what might be some form of English. Between the two of us, Needy’s guards are too distracted to stop her escape.
Once Monroe’s mother disappears into our Suburban, we back off toward our vehicles.
I climb into the back seat with Monroe and Needy while Lowell returns to the passenger spot. Aja doesn’t wait for us to speak before she speeds off past the Explorer and her friends. The second Suburban backs up enough to make a U-turn and follow after us.
Our two SUVs race down the main road, speeding toward the highway. I keep waiting for the cops or more muscle to take up the chase. Instead, this sleepy town goes about its business. No one follows. If payback comes, it’ll find us in Elko. For now, we seem to be in the clear.
MONROE
The first time I worked at Rooster’s, getting up close and personal with the Executioners, I saw them as they really were—rough, dangerous assholes. But I was kept back, not really engaging with them. As the days turned to weeks, I was allowed to talk to the men, hear their stories, and get to know them as people. Their hard edges softened. They seemed less dangerous. I started viewing them as weekend warrior types.
Especially Conor and Lowell. My man can be so fucking goofy and fun that I forget he’s a killer. My dad is harder to read, but I see how he flirts with Topanga and goes “dad mode” with Dunning. They don’t seem scary.
Yet, as soon as the men leave our SUV and move with violent intentions, I’m reminded of the body count necessary to create the Executioners’ current comfortable life. Conor and Lowell show no hesitation. While I’m terrified, they move with the confidence that comes from taking lives before. I think back to Conor’s scarred stomach and then glance at the back of Aja’s head. She was there with him when he got hurt. Was she scared then? Is she afraid now?
Like Conor and Lowell, Aja reveals no hesitation. That’s how certain people work. Uncle Clive was that way. Aunt Immee rarely flinched in the face of danger. She’d been beaten too much growing up to feel fear as an adult. But her daughter did flinch when a guy got too rough. Zella was soft inside, protected from the truly ugly side of life. I’m not so different. I can throw down with a girl like Taryn, yet I’m currently shaking like a leaf as I watch stronger people do what they seem born to do.
Eckles opens my passenger door, and Needy slides in next to me. She blinks a few times before realizing I’m within reach. I forget to breathe. A part of me assumed the worst would happen. Why shouldn’t I lose what I love?
“Monroe,” she says, wrapping me in her arms like she did when I was scared during a thunderstorm.
And I do feel like a dumb kid, terrified of doom and gloom stealing what I love. Her arms around me erase much of my shaking and put a halt to my tears. When Conor slides in next to me on the other side, my fear disappears altogether. I even smile when Lowell joins Aja up front. My people are safe.
The SUV jerks forward as Aja speeds out of the parking lot. Lowell glances back at us. His expression is frozen in his mean motherfucker expression, but his dark eyes soften at the sight of my smile.
“Hello, Lowell,” Needy says as she strokes my head.
“Hello, Needy,” he replies before turning back around.
“He’s shy,” Conor tells my mom.
“You look like your father,” Needy says to Conor and then adds, “I’m sure you’re sick of hearing that.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you grew up since I knew you.”
“You have no idea,” I tell my mom before smiling at Conor. “He’s big in all the right places.”
Aja laughs at something Lowell mutters under his breath. I smile at Conor and then Needy.
“He found you for me.”
Needy wraps me tighter and whispers how much she missed me. She likely feels on the spot, and we’ve never been overly emotional people in public. We just look at each other as if making up for not seeing each other’s faces for so long.
I can’t wait to tell her ev
erything. I don’t know how people will react to her return to Elko or if my uncle will start trouble. I just need her to be in my life, or else nothing feels right.
Ten miles outside of the town where Needy was trapped, we pull the SUVs into a gas station so Aja can join her group. Before she goes, I feel as if I should repay her for helping.
“Thank you for saving my mom,” I tell Aja as we stand near the gas pumps.
Conor shrugs. “Turned out we didn’t need so much muscle.”
“Never know,” Aja says, stretching like she’s preparing for a jog. “Going in hot is better than playing things cool and ending up cold, you know. Dead ain’t better.”
Conor hands an envelope to Aja. “To make this business, so the Executioners don’t feel as if they owe anyone anything.”
“Bunch of fucking babies,” Aja says, tossing the envelope at Minx. “But I get it. Still, I want one more payment.”
“Name it.”
“I need to talk to the old ball and chain alone.”
Conor frowns at me and then back at his sister. Before he can complain, I agree.
“It’s okay,” I promise, wanting to keep things relaxed between his not-so-secret sister and me.
Aja and I step aside, where she sizes me up. I thank her again for helping.
“You’re welcome. To repay me, take good care of Conor.”
“I will.”
“He’s neurotic, you know?” Aja says, giving me a knowing head nod. “Thinking and plotting and worrying and wondering. The man needs something to settle him down before he dies from stress. He seems calmer now that he has you, but I’ve barely seen you together. I hope you can keep him sane.”
“I never thought of him as crazy.”
“Yeah, he hides it well. But he’s got crazy in his blood. His dad was a wild man. His mom is insane in the membrane.”
“Wasn’t he your dad, too?”
Aja fights with her loose brown hair flying in her face. “Sure, but I think of my stepdad as my dad. Wheels was the guy who left spunk inside my mom. Wheels wasn’t my family, but Conor is. I want him to be happy, and he’s really into you. So you better be into him, or I’ll have to do something about that.”
Unable to stop myself, I push back against her attitude. “What could you do?”
“I have no clue,” she says, eyeing my feet for some reason. “I don’t devise plans until necessary. I’m not a worrywart like Conor.”
“Well, I love Conor, and I’ll give him whatever he needs.”
“If we fight,” she says, now staring at my hair, “you should be aware that I’m a high kicker. I could easily nail you in the forehead.”
“Well, I don’t want to fight you, even if you weren’t an awesome kicker.”
Amusement flashes in Aja’s green eyes that are so similar to Conor’s. “Then, love my brother with the good part of your heart and not the shitty part.”
“What makes you think I have a shitty part?”
“You seem a little trashy.”
My mouth pops open, and I instantly think of how my family was known as mud people. “Trashy, how?”
“Oh, don’t splooge with rage. I’m just fucking with you. It’s what we do with new people in my world. You know, to test them.”
“Wait, so you mock them so they’ll feel sad?”
“Sure. It scares off the weenies.”
Feeling awkward now, I mumble, “Oh, well, I’m not scared off, but you did hurt my feelings.”
“But I don’t know you,” Aja says as if I’m nuts. “How can my opinion matter?”
“Your words feed into a former insecurity, confirming what others told me.”
“That’s dumb. You can’t listen to other people. Most of them have shit for brains. Only listen to the people who matter. Conor thinks you’re his shining star, drawing him away from the darkness of his inner crazy. That matters more than the opinion of a stranger who threatened to kick you in the head.”
“You’re right. Conor’s opinion matters more than yours. This has been a good talk.”
Aja smiles warmly, but I still think she might try to sucker punch me. The twinkle in her eye freaks me out.
“Conor lives in a community where everyone knows and loves him, yet he often feels alone. I’m glad he has you,” she says and pats my head. “He needs a ride-or-die bitch in his corner if he ever wants to run that club. Be his bitch, Monroe Hobbs.”
“I will.”
“Embrace his corner,” she says, backing away and making her voice echo. “Let him feel safe in your arms. Maybe jack him off if necessary. Just be there.”
Grinning at her wink, I watch her hurry over to her SUV, which revs menacingly. Once inside, she offers a wave to Conor as Gully hits the gas.
“What did she want?” Conor asks, watching his sister’s SUV speed away.
“To make sure I would watch your back, be in your corner, and offer handjobs when necessary.”
Lowell grunts his disapproval while Mom wears a bland WTF expression. Conor slides his long arm along my shoulders and snuggles me against his body.
“She knows what I need,” he murmurs, kissing the top of my head.
“And you knew what I needed,” I whisper, thinking of how he brought my mom back to me. “I’ll be your ride-or-die bitch until I get fat and you scrape me out of your life.”
“No, baby, I’m horny for wide loads and fat rolls. We’re doing the ‘til death do us part’ thing.”
Sharing his smile, I cuddle closer to him and then reach for Mom. “Can we hang out here for a while, just like this?”
“No,” Lowell says, opening the Suburban’s back door and gesturing for Needy to get inside. “We need to put more distance between the scene of the crime and us.”
“Oh, well, I didn’t literally want to stand in a gas station,” I say, grinning at the grump. I slide into the SUV and wave for Mom to join me. She immediately wraps me in a hug. “Will you miss anything about living in that place?” I whisper to her.
Needy glances out the back windows as Lowell pulls the SUV onto the highway. When she looks at me, she sighs. “Not one fucking thing. I was there to keep you safe. Now, you have your dad and Conor to protect you.”
Cuddling my mom, I don’t care if I seem like a major dork to the men in the car. I’ve missed her so much, and there are so many things I need to tell her. For now, I just enjoy her steady heartbeat like I did when I was a kid.
CONOR
Fortunately, I fake my Frosty the Snowman bullshit. Otherwise, my jealousy would be obvious once we arrive at the hotel. Monroe is like a silly kid excited over her mommy’s attention. The two of them are so touchy-feely, hugging and playing with each other’s hair. The women in my family don’t act like that. Sure, Topanga is handsy and occasionally fondles me. Yet, my mom and aunt are more likely to throw punches at each other than to fucking cuddle.
But Needy isn’t the problem. No, it’s all me. I never knew how lonely I was until Monroe. What if she spends all her time with Needy now? Like a fucking idiot, I need her to pay attention to me. Monroe is my chance at a safe space. Except now, she only has eyes for her mother.
“Let’s get a drink,” Lowell tells me while the women whisper and suddenly begin crying in the bathroom of our hotel room. “Give them some privacy.”
We walk down to the hotel’s main floor bar, where crappy pop music plays in the empty area. When Lowell and I order beers, I sense the bartender wishes we picked something more interesting. I’m in such a shitty mood that I consider changing my order. I care too much about what people think, even fucking strangers.
“Monroe seems happy,” Lowell mutters.
“Why are you in a bad mood?”
“I thought we’d get to beat up someone today,” he complains, rubbing at his beard. “I got pumped for that fight. Now, I’m coming down from the whole ball of fucking nothing that happened.”
“I’d hug you, but I don’t want to. Besides, you ought to be happy things went
smoothly.”
Lowell gives me an ugly smile before asking a tricky question, “Where will Needy live?”
“The Overlook, I guess. Eventually, she’ll probably be at my house with Monroe.”
“Shouldn’t she live on her own?”
“She might want to, but I suspect not. I think she’s more like Pixie’s mom, where she needs to stay close to her kids to function. Before Needy got sold off by Uncle Clive, she planned to move somewhere warmer with Monroe. They seem like a package deal.”
“How’s that gonna work with you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Seems like this thing puts you in an awkward situation,” Lowell says, just rubbing salt in my wounds.
“Monroe needed her mom. I gave her that.”
“Yeah, and I’m glad they’re together, but it’s weird. Like, Monroe came to Elko because her mom was missing or married off or whatever. That was why she felt alone. Now, she’s not alone.”
“Are you trying to make me worry?”
Lowell shrugs. “I’m trying to air out any issues that might be coming up.”
“But they're not your issues, so it feels as if you’re airing out my troubles for your entertainment.”
“Monroe is my kid. If she bails on Elko and runs off with Needy, I’ll never get to know her. That makes what happens my problem, too.”
“I guess.”
“Don’t sulk.”
“Pouting is a good look on me. All the girls say so.”
Lowell rolls his dark eyes before frowning at the sight of Needy approaching us. She shuffles along in socked feet and slides into a seat next to me at the bar top. Her face is blotchy from crying earlier with Monroe in the bathroom.
“Monroe is showering. I need a drink,” she says, asking for a cocktail. “Francis didn’t believe women should drink alcohol. I never even liked booze until someone told me I couldn’t have it.”
I allow a soft smile, hearing so much of Monroe in her mother’s voice. They’re both stubborn bulldogs who really just want to find a comfy spot to call home.
Frost (EEMC) Page 21
