“Yes.” Salisbury stepped to one side, and Magic ushered me through.
“Owe you a marker,” Magic offered begrudgingly. “Nothing illegal.”
“I’ll take it. Have a good day,” Salisbury said, and I stared in disbelief.
“You’re an asshole,” I stated, emboldened by Magic’s presence.
“Yeah, Lars, I am, and yet you’re still lucky it was me who found you. Others wouldn’t have given a shit you’re Magic’s son. Make no mistake, sooner or later, you’d have come to my attention, and I’d have recovered you. But you would’ve returned gravely changed. Those three options, they were the soft ones. Snuff films are very fuckin’ popular nowadays. You’d have been a beautiful star in one,” Salisbury retorted. “All that virgin flesh? Those assholes would have loved carving you up until they killed you.”
Magic pushed me, and I headed outside to his bike. Two other men were waiting. “Are you going to let him talk to me like that?” I demanded. Some hero he was.
“Learn something right now. That was Clive Salisbury. He’s also known as The Ruler. Salisbury runs the entire underworld in South Dakota. Nothing happens without his say-so. And if it does, Salisbury retaliates quickly. Sebastian and Vaughn run sectors for him and are his personal bodyguards. Sebastian holds the title The Planner, while Vaughn is called The Wraith.
“That was the king him-fucking-self and don’t ever forget it. And two of his princes. No one can override Salisbury. Nobody.Go to war with him, and he’ll destroy South Dakota. It will be a far worse battle than the one we just fought. Be grateful Salisbury respected me enough to call,” Magic stated. “Get on the back of my bike, Lars, we need to tell your mother something that won’t freak her the fuck out.”
???
Jody
I was sure they tried to phrase it so I wouldn’t melt down, but I did. Lars had been in grave danger, and I’d no idea. The school hadn’t even called to say he’d been absent. I was beyond furious. Lars had learned a harsh lesson about playing truant, and it hit home that his teacher hadn’t contacted me. Nobody would have known Lars was missing until half-past five tonight, which was still hours away.
Maybe Lars would stop being so arrogant. He’d been overly confident despite all the warnings Vulcan and I had driven into him. We’d taught Lars to stay local and let people know where he was. Today, Lars forgot every single lesson. I could have lost my son, and Lars would most certainly have suffered. He was a good kid, but ever since he’d shot up and begun to broaden, he’d been cocky and mouthy.
Lars had learned size didn’t matter, and neither did a bullshit attitude. Clive Salisbury had put the fear of God into him, which might temper Lars’s impulsiveness. Although, on the other hand, I wanted to throttle Salisbury for scaring Lars so badly. That was a mother’s prerogative!
While I screamed, shouted, and sobbed, Magic had stood solidly at my back. He didn’t say a word; I imagined he’d alreadysaid his piece. When I finished and had sent Lars to his room, I collapsed into Magic’s arms and let him provide solid, steady comfort.
“Okay?” Magic murmured as I stepped away from his embrace.
“Magic, I could have lost Lars today. Joined those thousands of parents who wondered where their children were. That would have killed me,” I whispered, wiping my eyes.
“Salisbury wouldn’t have harmed him. He won’t touch kids.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” I grumbled and busied myself making coffee.
“Jody, it’s okay. Lars is home safely, and luckily nothing happened.”
“I’m struggling, Magic. I can’t do this without Vulcan, Aster, and Kanon.”
“You’re not failing, Jody. The children are well-adjusted and happy. They’re grieving, and that’s not going to ease overnight.”
“Lars played truant, walked into a junkie, and got kidnapped. Oskar is being surly and stupid about me potentially dating. Jesper is out of control. Look at the flamethrower incident. Henrik’s suddenly started sleeping at the end of my bed, and I don’t know why. Viggo is quiet, and Jerrik is constantly overlooked. As for Laila, she’s trying, like me, to hold everything together.”
Agitated and full of doubts, I began pacing. “I make sure each kid receives two hours a week of one-on-one time with me. And on Saturday and Sunday, we have family time, but I’m not enough. It was bad enough with them missing their fathers. Now they’re dealing with Aster’s loss, and what’s worse,Aster didn’t need to die! Aster didn’t have cancer or anything; she just wasted away. Damn it, Magic, Aster had kids; she should have fought,” I yelled.
Magic stood there and took it. He let me shout and rant until I spewed out everything that was bothering me.
“Aster wasn’t as strong as you believed. She was dependent on your friendship and no doubt on Kanon.”
“Aster wasn’t weak!” I exclaimed.
“She was in the way that Aster needed those she loved around her. You put the children first and dealt with them. I bet you also shored up their kids. Aster couldn’t cope with Kanon’s loss, and I guess she tried but didn’t have the strength. That’s nobody’s fault.”
“Aster left me alone to raise seven kids, and I’m so scared I’m going to screw up,” I whispered.
Magic rubbed a hand over my arm and smiled. “You’re a fuckin’ fantastic Mom,” he boomed.
I laughed a little, although there was a tinge of hysteria to it.
