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11
It takes me a few days to calm down. Throughout, my boys stick by my side, taking it in turns to make sure I don’t do something stupid like stabbing a bread knife through Bram’s eye.
I hate being a liability, but that’s what I am right now. One wrong move and things can go horribly wrong for Pink and Camden’s mum.
By Friday’s Art lesson, I’ve bottled my simmering rage enough to not want to break the face of anyone who so much as looks at me the wrong way. Regardless, I’m in no mood to sit in a class with Monk’s wolves, or should I say Bram’s, seeing as they’re now followinghisorders, so it’s just as well Ms Moore has agreed to let us do some research for our end of term projects in the library.
“Be back by the end of the lesson. I expect to see your sketchpads filled with ideas from all the books you’ll be looking at,” she says as we leave the room.
Sonny gives her one of his best dimpled smiles. “Sure, Miss.”
Of course, none of us will be seeking any inspiration from long dead artists or returning before the lesson is over. I mean, what’s she going to do, give us a fucking detention?
The fact of the matter is, that this is just an excuse to get away from Monk’s wolves and a few turncoats from Ford’s crew. I love art, but so does half the goddamn school and most of the wankers we want to avoid happen to share our art class on Wednesday afternoon. Since Ford chucked out Bram and Red, No Name crew has lost more of its members. Some have followed the pair, and those that were left behind are keeping their heads down and sticking with the group Mr Burnside has put them in. I’m not sure how Ford feels about it all, but if he’s affected at all by their abandonment then he’s doing a good job at not showing it. Like always, he keeps his feelings well under wraps.
“Thank fuck for that,” Camden remarks as we push open the door to the library a couple of minutes later. “Not sure I would’ve lasted much longer without pummelling Dagger’s smug face.”
“Yeah, I hear ya,” Sonny agrees, acknowledging the librarian with a curt nod as he leads us to the furthest corner of the library. I get the impression that he comes here quite a lot given how easily he traverses the vast space and shows us a hideaway that gives a little bit of privacy. Not that we need it, given the library is empty apart from us. We take a seat on a grey sectional surrounded on three sides by bookshelves. Getting out my sketchpad so at least it looks like I’m doing some work should a teacher happen to find us, I sit, blowing out a long steady breath.
“It’s been intense since we got back,” Sonny says, stating the obvious. He swipes a hand through his hair then leans his head back and closes his eyes. He looks tired, strung tight. We all do.
“Tell me about it,” I agree, glancing over at Camden. He meets my gaze, giving me a guarded look. “What?”
He lifts his feet onto the low table in front of us and crosses his arms across his chest. “We’ve heard nothing. This ain’t looking good.”
“But you said we need to wait it out. You said that was the best way forward!” I say, my voice rising enough for Sonny to snap his eyes open.
“Hey, keep your voices down. We can’t afford for anyone to hear what we’re discussing,” Sonny reminds us both.
“The King has never left it more than a couple of days to send a message and I’ve called Mum’s phone repeatedly, and she’s not answering. I’ve never had a problem getting hold of her before.” Camden explains, lowering his voice. “I’m not gonna lie, I’m worried. Something doesn’t feel right.”
“It’s not even been a week yet. He’s toying with you both. He wants you so scared that you’d do anything the minute he asks. The Freeds, Grim, they would’ve called by now if they’d found out anything new. Just hold your nerve, okay?” Sonny says, looking between us both.
Camden frowns. “That’s easier said than done, they’re not threatening the people you love.”
“You’re kidding, right? I happen to care about Pink too, not to mention my foster family. I don’t want to see them hurt.”
“You really trust them, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do. They’re good people. Well, the Freeds and Louisa are. I don’t know Grim well enough to know whether she is or isn’t.”
“She’s your family, isn’t she? Like fourth cousin, twice removed?” Camden asks, not able to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.
Sonny doesn’t try to correct him, he just shrugs. “Ford is closer to her. I keep my distance from Grim and her club.”
“You don’t like her?” I ask, my interest piqued.
“It’s not that I don’t like her. She’s never done anything to me, it’s just she walks in the same circles as the King and you don’t get acquaintances like that if you’re an angel without a past full of bad decisions.”
“So, youdon’ttrust her then?” Camden presses.
“I trust Ford and Hud, and they trust her… but that doesn’t mean to say I want to hang out with her anytime soon.”
“I thought that’d be your thing?” I ask. “Fighting without any rules or regulations.”
“That’s preciselywhyI stay away. Despite Ford’s notoriety, he still has perfect self-control. I don’t. If I got into a ring with no rules, I might kill a man.”
Camden whistles, looking at Sonny with new eyes. “So you’re not just some pretty, dimpled, arsehole joker then,” he muses.
