"Cheeseburger." Her gaze didn't leave Roark. "Fries."
"Drink?"
"I'm good with water." She tipped her head to the side, her eyes narrowed. "Are you going to answer me?"
Jesus. The girl was on a mission. "Penny."
Roark's smile got bigger, but he remained mute.
"Right. Need to know. Okay, well, just so we're clear, I'm not useless or willing to live in denial so if I can do anything to make thetappingof Lyssa's phone easier, I'm more than happy to help. I don't want to ever go back to my mother. I'll run away again before that happens."
The steel in her voice, the look in her gaze had Jack and Roark tensing. They'd known and worked with each other for so long they didn't need to communicate with words, and Roark heard Jack's unspoken command.
"I'll call in that room service order." His friend moved out from behind the bar, placing his hand on Penny's shoulder briefly as he passed. "You never have to worry about going back. It's not happening no matter what the court says."
Jack waited for Roark to close the door to the suite's second bedroom before he turned to face Penny. "Talk to me."
She held out for a minute, her chin tilted in that stubborn way her sister's did. The similarities between the sisters made him smile. He'd been dealing with Lys's headstrong attitude for years and he'd built up a nice level of patience for it.
He sipped his water, keeping his gaze on Penny.
She blew out a breath. "Fine. But you can't tell Lyssa."
"Can't promise that. If I think she needs to know for your safety, or hers, I'll tell her."
Penny sighed. "You're a pain in the ass."
"Takes one to know one."
"She tried to sell me."
Jack stared at Penny, his drink halfway to his mouth. He shook his head. "Sorry. What?"
"Mom. She was going to sell me to this guy. I heard her talking on the phone then this sleazy old guy came over for dinner and I knew it was him because of the way he kept looking at me."
Rage tightened the hand holding the bottle, making the plastic crackle. "She"—he swallowed hard—"was going to sell you."
"After he left, I waited for her to pass out then searched the house for any money she might have hidden, which typical, there was none. All I had was what I'd earned from the lady in our building who let me do housework for her."
"You..." Fucking hell. What did you say to a fourteen-year-old who'd run away from home because her mother tried to sell her? "I have to tell Lys. And we should tell your lawyer."
"Why? What's he going to do? They didn't believe me when I told them all the other stuff she's done."
"Penny."
"No. You can tell Lyssa but not that dumb lawyer or the old bag social services sent out. They think they know what's best, that if theyhelpmy mother she'll do better." She shook her head. "She'll never do better. She doesn'twantto do better. She fucked up Lyssa's life until she left, and she's fucked mine until now. If I'd known about Alyssa before that night, I'd have been at her door ages ago. No, no one is making me go back."
Jack put his water down and reached for Penny. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and tugged her close. "I promise you, I'll draw blood and swear on it if you need me to, but I promise, you will never go back to Gina."
She remained stiff in his arms for a few seconds before she relaxed and let out a big breath. "I believe you."
"I want your phone. Roark needs it."
"Is he going to tap it too?" she asked, her voice edged with excitement.
"Yes. He'll add other stuff including his number. If you can't get me, call him."
"So, not just a normal friend then."
