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“I’m still down a plate,” she snaps, arguing with the child as she points to the pieces on the top of the trash can.
I recognize the plate pattern because I bought the same set. I pull a five-dollar bill from my pocket and drop it on the small dinette table, knowing it’s more than enough to cover the cost.
“Sorry a plate was broken,” I tell her.
“I can’t keep watching them,” she says, walking across the room to gather the things they brought with them this morning. “Not without getting paid more.”
“It’s fine. I can find someone else,” I tell her, unwilling to go into detail about why there’s a very good reason I won’t even have them in order to drop them off.
“I just need more money,” she says, backpedaling when I choose her first option rather than her second, making it clear she wanted a higher rate.
Even if I had the extra money to pay her, after watching her argue with Jace right in front of me, I have my concerns.
I gather the kids up, thank her for her time, and leave her apartment, ignoring her calling me a bitch under her breath as we walk away.
“Mila,” Jace growls.
“It’s fine,” I mutter, not willing to lose my shit in front of the kids.
Sammie isn’t worth the trouble. I’m also a huge asshole for abusing that friendship when I needed her help so desperately. I put too much on her plate. My needs didn’t give me any right to overwhelm her, despite her agreeing when I offered to pay her for babysitting while I worked and tried to get everything in order in regard to Janet and Carlen.
I hate even thinking about Carlen, knowing now that his connection to ShopSmart is what led to whatever deal he had with Keres which got them both killed.
I check Luca’s buckle after Jace helps him into his booster seat, giving the kid a huge smile for being so helpful. As grateful as I am, he’s probably been forced into this role because his parents had focused elsewhere. It makes me wish Janet was around so I could shake some damn sense into her, but I know deep down she never wanted it to become the situation that it was. Her life was all about those boys, and it had to have taken a drastic shift for her to lose sight of that.
“This isn’t the way to the apartment,” Jace says.
“I know,” I tell him. “We’re going to go see a friend of mine.”
I don’t know of any other way to describe Vincent. If the boys have to be around the man, I don’t want them to feel like they’re unsafe.
He sighs as if the detour is a huge inconvenience to him, but I don’t address it. For seven years old, he’s quite aware of his surroundings, and pays a little more attention than I’d guess someone his age would.
I pull up to the hotel and help the kids out of the car. I know what’s about to happen. I know the risk I’m taking. I’m well aware a secret I’ve never wanted to come to light is about to do just that, but I also know the risk I’d be taking if I didn’t show up here like he instructed me to do.
I know he’d never give up looking for the boys if I took off, even if it was only pride and some misplaced sense of right and wrong that kept him looking for us. It’s clear Cerberus MC has the ability to track people down who have disappeared, and I’m no expert at covering my trail. Money is the other huge factor. I’ve barely had enough money to live much less having the cash flow to vanish. Hell, I had to use my credit card at the damn grocery store a few days ago.
“I can carry that,” Jace offers when I reach for the strap of one of the bags.
“Thank you.” I hand the bag over to him.
The walk into the hotel is slower than I could make it on my own, because despite how helpful Jace is, his legs just aren’t as long.
My hand is shaking once we climb onto the elevator.
“What floor?” Luca asks, excited to push the button.
“Fourth.”
Like the young child that he is, he presses every single floor leading up to the one we need. I don’t chastise him because it gives me a few more moments to shoot up a little prayer that this doesn’t go the way I anticipate, which is being forced out of this hotel empty-handed. As safe as I imagine the kids would be with him, my heart would be completely shattered.
I guide the boys to room 418, taking in a ragged breath before lifting my hand to knock.
He answers in seconds, his eyes darting from me to the boys and back to me, and more specifically to the little girl balanced on my hip.
Chapter 11
Stormy
