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Plus, he's great to have around when I need someone to watch Maxim while I work.
I run special programs at the bookstore now. We have poetry readings and visits from authors and book clubs and all sorts of fun things to bring in customers and unite readers. The bookstore is thriving, and I'm doing something with my degree beyond helping customers locate books. This place has become a home to me. I don't have to answer to a school board or parents. Maddie and Allie trust my decisions and support me one hundred percent.
"Aunt Ophelia ran away from the nursing home."
"What the fuck?"
"They haven't seen her since this morning," I say, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth.
"How the hell do you lose an eighty-seven-year-old lady?" Finn asks, genuinely mystified.
"It's Aunt Ophelia."
He sighs. "You head over there. I'll rally my brothers and start looking for her."
"Okay," I whisper.
"We'll find her, pretty baby."
"Promise?"
"I won't stop looking until we do," he vows.
Halfway to the nursing home, Finn calls.
"She's at the police department."
"Please tell me she isn't in jail," I groan.
"Not exactly." He sighs. "I'm on my way over there now. Meet me there."
"Okay." I turn my blinker on and get into the right lane so I can turn around. My mind races, running through a million different possibilities. The truth is though, there's no telling what she's done this time or why. I'm a little relieved our oldest daughter, Honor, isn't related to her by blood. If she were, I'd be seriously worried that she's going to be just like her. She's way too smart for her own good, and she's never met a rule she isn't willing to break. I'm pretty sure she gets that from Finn because she doesn't get it from me!
Finn swears it's all my side of the family. He likes to remind me that I'm the one who came from a long line of Made men. I pretend I can't hear him when he says that though. It's totally his fault our daughter is a little rebel without a cause. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Besides, my brother may be a criminal, but he's not a bad man.
In all honesty, he's one of the best men I know. We've gotten really close over the last five years. He flies out to visit at least twice a year and spends Christmas with us whenever he can. He's married now with babies of his own. He dotes on his wife. It's honestly adorable how he worships the ground she walks on. I think he'd kill for her, no questions asked.
He invites us to Chicago periodically, but Finn and I both decided that was probably not the best idea. Domani may be awesome, but the reality is that his world is full of blood and violence, and dark things. I don't want my babies to grow up thinking that's normal. And Finn would never let us risk getting caught in the middle of some mafia war. I don't know what he knows about Domani's life that I don't, but I don't ask questions. Somethings, I don't need to know.
By the time I pull up outside of the Sheriff's Department, Finn is already waiting outside the doors for me. He jogs to my car to help me out.
"Where's Maxim?" he asks, peering into the backseat.
"Maddie kept him," I murmur. "What did she do?"
"Don't know," he says, slamming my door. "Dillon wouldn't tell me. He just told me to get my ass down here to get your crazy aunt before he locked her up for pissing him off."
"Well, that sounds promising."
Finn shoots me a look that says he does not think I'm funny. I am a little funny though. Just a little bit. She's not in the hospital, hurt, and she's not in jail. As far as I'm concerned, this day is looking up.
"Let's go get your aunt," he mutters, shaking his head at me. He slips his hand into mine, leading me toward the front doors.
"Don't youma'amme, Dillon Jarrell Armstrong!" Aunt Ophelia yells as soon as Finn pulls the door open. "I'll chain my naked ass to that fountain before I let you demolish it to build a new jail."
"Fuck my life," Finn groans.
"Ma'a… Ms. Crawford," Dillon says, rubbing his forehead. "I've told you fifteen times already; the choice isn't up to me. It's up to the mayor and the city council."
