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Jimbo ran at me until Hobo nailed him in the back with another dodge ball. The teacher stood back and pretended he didn’t notice a damn thing.
Hobo and I kept throwing balls at Jimbo who chased after us. Other kids joined in, either by handing us new balls or taking their own shots. Hobo and I skidded around the gym, wearing down the asshole in between our attacks.
I still remember the shocked expression on Jimbo’s face when he lost his footing and went down hard on the ground. He looked so sad, brokenhearted really. The asshole spent years tormenting everyone yet was genuinely hurt by how we ganged up on him.
That’s when I knew Jimbo wasn’t right in the head. Not like Hobo or me, but in an alternative universe way. He would never view any situation the way everyone else saw it.
And right now, Jimbo Rogers believes he’s the hero of the story. He’ll save Irina from my bad influence, even if he has to kill her to do it.
If I weren’t such a pussy as a kid, I’d have helped Hobo sooner. We made a good team. I just wasn’t used to having anyone’s back, let alone expecting them to watch mine.
My loner days are long past over. I might be too quiet and hard to read, but I never doubt my club will go berserk to help me.
IRINA
Before we left theRogers estate, I worried a second Xanax would turn Fiona into a sleepy mess. That’s why she’s now curled up in the recliner. Walla Walla tiptoes over and covers her with a blanket. I grin at how careful he moves. When he flips off Armor nearby, I laugh behind my hand.
“Your family is great,” I whisper to Eagle before we leave Fiona to nap.
Though his scowl disappears immediately, Eagle remains on edge. I suspect he doesn’t like how Walla Walla came up with the blanket idea. I’m starting to understand the way Eagle’s mind works. His ego demands he be right every time. No one can live up to such high standards, which explains why he doesn’t get close to people. He’s bound to be disappointed in himself and others.
I join Eagle on the back deck and admire the view. This place has been his home for decades. The longer I’m in McMurdo Valley, the more I fall in love with its wild beauty. Men like Eagle fit well in such an untamed place.
The mood outside is festive. Everyone is so comfortable with each other. Wynonna teases Ruin who gently yanks on her hair. Selene rests in a chair, smiling at her husband. Her sister stands nearby, holding her baby.
I watch Yazmin’s tiny dog run to the children. My gaze latches on to one of Landry’s sons. He giggles with delight over the tiny dog. His laughter hits me hard. I’m suddenly falling into the pit inside my heart, where all my painful memories fester.
I remember Owen on the morning he died. He was getting over a cold. His nose was chapped, and he wheezed when he sat next to me during lunch. I’d wanted to stay home rather than go to the party.
I nearly asked Steve if he could go without us. I’d felt exhausted, emotionally beaten down after Thanksgiving with our families. Steve screamed at me the day before over baby names. He hated Owen’s name, which was my parents’ choice. I didn’t want to name my baby girl, Kayleigh, like his parents insisted. My cousin already used that name, and I preferred Inessa.
“Why can’t we pick a name we both like that we come up with on our own?” I asked him the night before.
He just started yelling at me, randomly throwing insults and complaints. I knew the name wasn’t the real problem. His life had taken a wrong turn, and he didn’t know how to fix it. I was the easiest one to blame. When he lost his temper with his parents, his mother would cry. I cried, too, but my tears didn’t bother him.
I should have stayed home with Owen. My son needed rest. More than once that day, I mentally worked through the words I would tell Steve. I needed to find my voice. Owen and I would be happier at home while Steve could enjoy his friends. Everyone won.
