AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked up at him innocently. “What? Effie was looking out for Gina. It’s good for kids to understand and know how to protect the feelings of others. I’m so proud of her for realizing Gina was uncomfortable around Byte and since Effie doesn’t know anyone else in the compound, I know you don’t want someone else looking after her. That might scare her and Effie has to be fragile after everything that’s happened.” I barely stopped to take a breath, wanting to cover all the bases before Rocket could come up with an alternate plan.
“I’m so fucked,” he muttered before snagging my hand. “Come on, sour puss. And before you get all pissed off, you earned the nickname after this stunt.” I’d have been worried if he really looked angry that I’d managed to get around him, but he didn’t. If anything, his eyes twinkled with amusement. Almost like he was pleased I’d worked out a way to get what I wanted without defying him.
“Yep.” I didn’t look at him, letting him lead me to the big F-150 in the driveway. His bike was in the garage. Typical.
It was a short drive to the little house where Gina lived. Effie chatted the entire way, preventing Rocket from saying much about what was about to happen. Which was what I wanted so I kept a running dialogue going with the kid. She and I were going to be epic around here. I could already tell.
We pulled into Gina’s driveway and I saw her peeking out the front window behind the curtain. Yeah. Nothing fishy there.
“Come on, squirt,” I said. To Effie. Not Rocket. Though calling him squirt made me want to giggle. There were so many different ways that could be implied and I was cataloging every single one of them for use if he ever called me sour puss in front of anyone. I’d forgive him for doing it at the Iron Tzars’ barn a year ago but my benevolence only went so far. As I hoped, Rocket gave me the side eye. Yeah. He knew me. “Game, set, and match.”
“Little witch,” he growled, but there was no real heat in it. If anything, I thought he might be more amused than before. Yeah. Maybe he did get me.
Effie ran ahead and knocked on the door. Gina opened it a crack and tried for a smile, but I could see she’d been crying.
“Effie, give Gina a hug and thank her for the hamburgers and reading your favorite story three times in a row,” Rocket said, ruffling the girl’s hair. “Then me and you’ll stay out here and let Lemon and Gina have some time to gossip.”
“Gina!” Effie launched herself at the other woman and hugged her as fiercely as she’d hugged me when I showed up here the first time. It was clear Gina had made a positive impression on little Effie. Which was good since I’d decided Gina was probably innocent. I knew she was complicit in some way, but I’d bet my last cunt hair she was just as much a victim as Scarlet had been. “Thank you for all the things! You’re really cool!”
“Thanks, Euphemia. I’m glad I made you smile.”
Effie smile broadened. “You called me Euphemia! You remembered!”
“Of course, I remembered. It was important to you.” Gina glanced at me nervously before ducking her head again. Her chin quivered and a tear trickled down her cheek before she brought her wrist up and caught it. This situation was devolving rather quickly.
“Come on, Effie,” Rocket said. “We’ll be outside when you’re ready, Lemon.” Rocket spoke softly and stayed close to the door. Even still, Gina flinched when he spoke.
Effie saw Gina’s distress and, bless her heart, looked like she didn’t know what to do. She took Gina’s hand in hers and waited until Gina met her gaze. “Don’t worry. Lemon will make it all better.” Fuck me. No pressure there. Especially when I’d first thought Gina had been the hold out in the club. The one who was supposed to carry out Hammer’s instructions to harm Sunshine and Rainbow.
Once we were alone, I leveled a look on Gina. “Have a seat.”
“Has Rocket come to… to kill me?” I could barely hear her. It was obvious she was terrified but resigned.
I took a deep breath. “That depends.” I gestured to the couch. “Let’s sit and talk. You tell me what happened. I’ll decide what to do next.”
She started and met my gaze with a shocked one of her own. “You? Rocket’s the president. He won’t do what you say.”
“He will totally do what I say.” That came out harsher than I intended, but Goddamnit, this woman was making me have a fucking feeling! “I’m his old lady. Do you honestly think I’d be in here right now instead of him if he didn’t trust my judgment?” I was surprised at how easily those words came out. And how much I believed them.
“No,” she said softly. Then sighed. “It was me,” she said. “I was the one Hammer had in the compound who was supposed to hurt Shine and Rain if Scarlet didn’t do what he said.” She started sobbing then. “It was me. It was me.”
“Fuck.” I wasn’t sure what to do other than let her cry it out. When I reached out to hold her hand -- ‘cause I’m not a complete bitch… most of the time -- she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my waist as she lay against me, sobbing uncontrollably.
Rocket looked through the screen-door window and raised an eyebrow at me. I shook my head, and he nodded before continuing on with whatever he and Effie were doing.
I patted Gina’s head awkwardly. I didn’t want to let my guard down. Not yet. Jury was still out as to how much of an act this was.
It took her a while to calm down, but she was trembling and sweating. There was no doubt she was having a visceral reaction to something. So now, I had to get to the bottom of everything.
“OK. Come on. Sit up and tell me what’s going on.” I put as much command in my voice as I could and not sound angry. I had to be neutral here. If she was playing me, I was not going to miss it. But if she was as much a victim as I thought she might be, I didn’t want to punish her.
She blinked. “I just told you! Hammer had me here ready to hurt Shine and Rain. I know the men know. Crush and Byte. And if they know Rocket knows. So don’t drag it out. Just get it over with.”
“What do you think’s going to happen here?”
“Probably the same thing that happened to Hammer. I know he’s dead. Byte told me. He also said he knew what happened. Said he was looking into it thoroughly, but that I’d best make my peace sooner rather than later.”
“Fine. Byte’s digging. I was told you had a thing for Hammer. That true?”
