Page 62 of Throttle Therapy

“Where’s your sister?”

“She’s asleep.Same with Joker.They were awake for a long time last night.”

He nodded.They all had been.

“How are you feeling?Want something to eat?We don’t have much in the house but if you tell me what sounds good, I’ll get it.”

She stared at him a moment, opened her mouth then closed it without saying anything.

“What are you wanting?”Cyclone asked before Roadkill could.

Lacey shook her head.“Don’t worry about it.We don’t have the money for it.”She turned as if she was going to go back to the bedroom.

“Hold up there, squirt.”Roadkill had considered finding a unique nickname for her but decided to keep the same nickname Joker did, especially since Roadkill had used it before the kid.He thought using the same one most of the men from the shop used for her, would put her a little more at ease.

She paused and twisted her neck back to look at him.

“Come sit for a minute.”Roadkill stood, waving to the chair so she wouldn’t have to sit too close to anyone.Her eyes went wide, but she did as he asked.Roadkill carried his mug as far as the counter, where he set it down before going back to Lacey.

In front of the recliner, he crouched until he sat on his heels, putting them eye to eye.

“I know things have been tight for you and Jenna.That’s going to change, for a lot of reasons.First, your sister is making better money now, but that’s not all of it.The two of you aren’t alone anymore.You’ve got the Warriors at your back now.But if I ask if you want something, you don’t tell me it’s too expensive.That’s a decision I’ll make.I know what I can afford and what I’m willing to spend, all right?”

She watched him a moment then nodded her eyes.

Roadkill leaned toward Cyclone, speaking to the SAA without looking away from Lacey.

“Can you reach out to Cypher and let him know I need two laptops, two phones, and all the shit that goes with it.Take the money out of my account.I need them ASAP.And can I get one of the prospects here to run a few errands for us?”

“No problem.”The movement in his peripheral vision told him the other man was pulling out his cell phone.

He centered his weight as Cyclone started typing.

“I don’t know if they told you last night, but you and Jenna won’t be going back to that trailer.She and I talked.You’ll both be living here.You know where we are, right?”

Lacey shook her head.“I wasn’t watching the road when we came in last night.”

“This is the Savage Warriors compound.We all live here.”

“All of you?Do you have to?”

Roadkill shook his head.

“Most of us.No, we don’t have to live here, but most of us choose to, for different reasons.There’s a lot to know, and you’ll learn it all eventually, but one of the most important things, at least for now, is that we’re behind a gate.I don’t know if you saw it last night, but the gate’s manned and you either have to be part of the Warriors or invited by someone here to get in.”

“He’s saying you’re safe here, squirt.Not just in the house but anywhere on the property,” Joker’s voice came from down the hall.A moment later the younger brother appeared in the hallway.He still wore his jeans but that was all.

“Coffee in the kitchen,” Roadkill said.

Joker detoured through the kitchen.“This your cup on the bar?”

“Yeah,” Roadkill said absently, his attention still on Lacey.“So, when I ask what you want, whether it’s eat, to do, or anything else, I ask because I want to know.”He paused, waiting for her to acknowledge his words.

“There will be a lot of things we need to get for here, but other than what you want for breakfast today, I’m going to want a list of anything you want to save from the trailer.”She started to say something, but he held up one hand.“I’ll get you a pen and paper, and I can’t guarantee we’ll be able to save everything on the list.They trashed the place, but if it’s salvageable, we’ll see to it you get it back.The rest?We’ll replace what we can.”

Joker came in, still barefoot, carrying a coffee cup in both hands.He paused next to Roadkill to hand him his refilled mug.

“Thanks,” Roadkill said.