My grief sent my mind spiraling. I kept seeing the switchblade near Goldie’s face. I recalled how vulnerable Lyric had been. My baby had been nearly touched by violence twice.
A trip to the bathroom helped me calm down. My head still spun, but I was able to focus on how Boone found us in the crowd.He was so calm. I could trust him. Everything was okay.
As I returned to the family room, I heard a commotion outside. Tensing, I worried more of those LM Jokers had arrived to start trouble.
Boone kissed my head and smiled softly. “My parents picked up Goldie. They’re outside. Are you ready?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Sure, you could hide in your bedroom.”
Shuddering, I shook my head. “I want to see Goldie. I’ll try not to flip out about your parents, but I can’t make any promises.”
Goldie entered the house first and rushed to me. “I can’t believe they put their hands on you,” she said and hugged me against her body. “I was too pissed at the store to even comprehend what happened. Are you okay?”
Holding onto her, I exhaled more easily seeing her in one piece. “Lyric and I are okay. Are you?”
Goldie released me and sheepishly ran her hands through her wavy pixie cut. “I wanted a hairstyle change,” she said and frowned. “Let’s pretend those stupid motherfuckers did me a favor.”
“I think it looks good,” Pax announced from his chair. “Bebe had short hair for a few years. Made it more fun to give her hickeys.”
Goldie gave him a weird look and then smiled at me. “My parents are outside with Ford and Clint. I asked them to give me a minute to check on you, but that minute is nearly over.”
I looked past Goldie and Boone to find the people who brought them into the world. Boone inherited his good looks and size from his dad. Goldie also took after Blackjack. But she wore the same overwhelmed expression as Yarrow, who hurried toward us.
Rather than console her children, Yarrow wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. “Those monsters need to die. I’m going to kill them for you. Don’t worry. I know where to put their bodies. Everything is okay.”
Yarrow was a lithesome woman and seemed incapable of taking down three large men. But something about her tone made me think she’d find a way to kill them nonetheless.
“We’re waiting on the murder plan,” Pax told Yarrow.
“Don’t talk to me,” she muttered and tightened her hold on me. “I’m sharing a moment with my son’s lover.”
I smiled at Boone and Goldie over their mother’s shoulder. Blackjack nodded a hello and looked around.
“Where are the two little ones?”
“Napping,” Boone said. “They’ll be up soon.”
“Goldie said Lyric was at the store when it happened,” Blackjack told Boone. “Is she okay?”
“She was scared, but Lyric was smart enough to stay away from the violence,” Boone said and then reached for Yarrow. “Maybe let Nova breathe a little.”
“No,” his mom mumbled and held me. “I thought you were going to die before I had a chance to meet you. The world is too dangerous. We should shoot more people.”
I smiled at Boone and soaked in Yarrow’s hug. Blackjack ran his fingers through Goldie’s shorter hair.
“You should have stayed at the Sorority House and soaked in the hot tub,” he told her.
“I’m fine.”
“Your fingers are bruised and swollen.”
Yarrow finally released me and looked at Goldie’s hands. Even without her speaking a word, I felt her about to panic.
“Goldie punched those men so hard,” I said, drawing Yarrow’s gaze back to me. “I wish I knew how to fight like Goldie and Dalisay.”
Yarrow studied me with sad, blue eyes. “They’re not going to let me kill those men. You get that, right? I’ll never get to unleash my massacre.”
