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“You kill a woman and dump her body in our territory, you have to understand you’re overstepping your bounds. What do you think?” Guard retorts with fury in his tone.
“Fuck!” Ghost grumbles. He looks at the shop, then to me. It’s time to take care of my girl.
TWELVE
That Was Easy
THUNDER
Noah hasn’t left Rosie’s side. He’s a good kid and is proving himself to be a loyal Pride member. He’s too young to join, and we’re respecting Charli’s wishes to have him go to school before he makes up his mind whether the club is for him or not. Either way, he’s always going to be part of us because Wildcard and Charli belong to us, so that makes Noah a part of us as well.
Rosie jumps up from her chair and comes to me.
“Who—who was it?” She gulps.
“A young woman.” I keep my tone calm and low.
“She—she’s dead, isn’t she?”
I nod. Her shoulders slump and she lets out a heavy, ragged sigh. “She was a junkie. We’re going to find out who she is.”
“She died from an overdose?” Fuck! I hate to do this to Rosie, but she needs to know the truth.
“No, baby.” I let my fingers touch the soft strands of her dark hair, looking into her chocolate-brown eyes, knowing what I tell her next is going to hurt her deeply. “She was beaten. Pretty badly.”
“Oh my God! Who are these people?” she says in a harsh whisper. She rests her head on my chest. “This is too much. Too damn much.” She lets out a ragged breath. “They tossed her away like garbage. Right in front of my store.”
I wrap my arms around her; she reciprocates, clasping my jacket. “It’s going to be all right,” I murmur. “I promise.” I want to keep her in my arms, but the shrill ring of the telephone breaks us apart. I don’t give her the chance to pick up and do it myself, not wanting her to have to deal with anything else tonight. “Hello?”
“Uh, hello? I think I may have the wrong number. I’m looking for Petals, the flower shop,” Penny’s unsure voice says.
“Penny?”
“Who is this? Is Rose there?”
“Yeah, let me get her for you.” I pass the receiver to Rosie.
“Hi, Mom.” After a brief pause, Rosie says, “It’s Michael.” A pause. “That’s right. Michael Donally.” After another pause, she adds, “He lives in town. Michael walked into my shop to pick up some flowers, and we got to talking.” Rosie looks at her shoes and shuffles from foot to foot. “We’re seeing each other, Mom.”
I can’t help but chuckle. She glares at me angrily, and I can hear her mother talking a mile a minute, although I can’t make out what she’s saying. That is until I hear her call for her husband.
“Hi, Dad. Yes, it’s true,” she says quietly. “I like him. A lot.” Rosie brightens up, a smile on her lips as she listens to her father on the other end. “He’s right beside me.” Another short pause before she says, “I’ll talk to you soon. Love you.” Then the minx holds the phone out to me. “Dad wants to say hello.”
“Hello, Erik.” Erik has been a supportive and caring father. I admired the way he stood by his girls. He’s a family man. His wife is his queen and his daughters his princesses. The devastation that hit their family when Clarissa went off the rails knocked Erik on his ass. We sat in his garage for hours talking about the next steps for Clarissa’s recovery. He treated me like his own kid, offering support and guidance.
The night I walked away from Clarissa, I walked away from Erik and his family too. I expect to get an earful, and perhaps it’s warranted from his perspective. I brace myself for the worst.
“It’s been a long time, son,” Erik says calmly.
“It really has. I’m sorry for—”
“None of that,” he cuts in. “There was nothing you could do. And I’ve finally come to accept there was nothing I could do. Change only happens when you want it. My Clarry had to fly free and wild. Her purpose was her own. Her story wasn’t always pretty, but there were moments of glorious sunshine that I hold on to. You did what you had to do to distance yourself, son. It would have eaten at you. But Rosie tells me that you’re seeing one another. That true?”
“It is.”
I can hear footsteps as he walks, then a door shuts. “I always knew there was something between you and Rose. More than a big brother watching out for her. You’re a man who’s going to do what you need to do, but I’m going to ask you to tread carefully. She’s spunky and funny and will make you think she’s tough as nails, but my little girl has a soft underbelly.”
“Erik, you should see her place. It’s filled with pink and glitter,” I reply, only to hear him laugh. “I feel like unicorns and fairies are going to follow us home.” He laughs even louder. “But I hear you and am taking care.” I take a breath, then lay my cards on the table. “I know who Rose is. There’s no comparison, and I care about her because she is Rose.” I want to make it perfectly clear that this isn’t about finding a part of Clarissa. This is seeing Rosie for who she is and loving her for what she has become.
