“THAT’S IT?” OPAL ASKS, SQUINTING at the little monitor on the screen. “That’s my baby?”
The doctor smiles and nods. “Yes. That’s your baby. Perfectly healthy.” She gives me another disapproving glance.
“Wow.”
“I’ll let you get dressed.” Dr. Bitchy tosses her gloves in the trash and leaves the room.
I squeeze Opal’s shoulder. “Be in the waiting room, okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks, Jay.”
I make sure the door closes behind me and almost run into the doctor. “You know”—she clears her throat—“I am required to report certain things to the police.”
“Yeah.” I raise a brow. “Like what?”
“Like when minors are being… coerced.”
She picked the wrong day to fuck with me. Hell, any day the past three weeks has been a bad day to fuck with me. But today, in particular, was really bad because it was another day, twenty-one to be exact, when I still can’t find Marco.
Pussy’s hiding because he knows what’s coming. And that means he’s planning something. Been working on a lot of shit with a small team of trusted men with one goal: eliminate Marco Denati. His cousin Rico turned on him years ago when he found out that Marco murdered his mother. His dad isn’t around anymore, and though Rico can’t get solid evidence, he’s pretty sure Marco’s responsible for his disappearance too since his body has never been found. So with Rico on the inside, and Ty, one of Marco’s long-time dealers, we’ve got our way in.
Even though Ty’s currently incarcerated, he’s still valuable as hell. He’s able to get us information that we’d never be privy to unless he was in jail.
Now it’s just a game of wait and see. He’s my only job right now. But the thing he doesn’t realize about my Livvie is; I might wear a badge, and I might bleed blue, but the only reason that blood is pumping is because of her… and there isn’t a line I won’t cross or a law I won’t break to get her back. Fuck clean. Fuck rules.
“By all means…” I pull my badge out from under my t-shirt. The good doctor’s eyes widen, and she takes a step back. “Call the cops.”
She puts a hand to her throat and swallows, pink trailing up from her neck to her face.
“Making accusations like that, about a man like me.” I slowly shake my head. “Not very smart, Dr. Reyes.”
“I-I’m sorry,” she stutters. “I didn’t mean to… I just. The way she was looking at you…”
“She’s looking at me like she’s scared outta her goddamned mind. She’s sixteen years old and knocked up by a guy who fuckin’ dumped her when she told him she was pregnant.” A nurse walks by, and I wait until she’s out of earshot, but then Opal comes out of the room at the same time. I turn my back on the doctor and walk away with Opal right beside me. She doesn’t need any more stress.
“Everything okay?” she whispers as we exit to the waiting room.
“Yup.”
I stand off to the side while she makes her next appointment and gets a prescription for prenatal vitamins. We walk in silence to my car, but as soon as I pull away, she breaks down. I’m a strong guy, learned how to check my emotions a long time ago, but seeing her cry and hearing her sobs do nothing but remind me of her sister. They sound the same, and I feel like Livvie’s in the damn car with me.
“You know that this visit and the prescription will be put on your parents’ insurance, right? They’ll know soon even if you don’t tell them.”
“Oh, my God!” She whips her head up and out of her hands. “No! I didn’t know that. I didn’t even think about it! Why wouldn’t you tell me before? I can’t tell them. I can’t. Not yet. I’m not ready for them to have another disappointment in their lives. Mom’s barely talking, worried sick about Liv, and Dad just walks around angry all the time. Onnika and Oakley are packing their stuff to take off for college, so as soon as they’re gone, my parents will be left with their sixteen-year-old pregnant daughter!”
Reaching over, I squeeze her hand. “It’ll be okay, Opal. I promise. I’m here for whatever you need.”
“I know.” She sighs and leans her head on the window. I pull up to her car at the coffee shop where she works, and she hops down. “Thank you, Jay.”
“Anytime, girl.”
She wipes under her eyes, and I wait until she’s in her car. Once she drives away, I turn in the opposite direction and stop in another parking lot. This one belongs to the garage where Josh works. When I get inside, a bell chimes on the door and then he walks out from the back. As soon as he sees me, his eyes widen and he opens his mouth.
“Unless you want this whole place hearing your business, I suggest you meet me outside.” I turn around and go out right where I came in. I stand beside my Tahoe and wait. Thirty seconds later, he comes out, stopping a few feet in front of me.
“I know what you’re here to say.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“That I need to be there for Opal.”
I nod. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m here to say. You’re man enough to get your dick wet then you’ve gotta be man enough to face the consequences.” Pulling out the ultrasound picture I took, I step to him and shove it against his chest. He catches it before it falls. “That’s your kid. Your baby. I was just at the doctor’s office with your girlfriend because her pussy of a boyfriend left her high and dry.”
His eyes widen as he looks at the thin paper before he meets mine. “Why you?”
“Because Livvie’s not available.”
He sounds as surprised as I’d imagine since this is the thing Livvie would do. She’d be the one to help her. “Where is she?”
“She’s fucking gone, Josh. Had to disappear because she’s in a lot of fucking danger.”
“Oh, my God.” He shakes his head. “Oh, my God.”
“Yeah. So not only am I trying to keep my fucking woman alive, but I’m also trying to keep your girl from falling apart.” I back away a step. “Man the fuck up, Josh.” He doesn’t respond, but I didn’t expect him to.
Spinning my tires, I peel out and head home. Mellie has been giving me the silent treatment ever since I yelled at her. No matter how many times I apologize, she won’t forgive me. She lets me rock her back to sleep in the middle of the night, but that’s the extent of our relationship right now.
Livvie’s off God only knows where—hurt, upset, alone. Opal is hormonal and feeling abandoned. Onnika and Oakley are still giving me the cold shoulder. All the females in my life are hurting right now, and I’m helpless.
I fucking hate this feeling. It’s only happened twice before. Once when my parents were killed and then when Mel was violated. Only so goddamned much a guy can take before he goes to extreme measures.
Which is what I’m doing now.
When I park in front of my next stop, I hesitate a moment but then jump down and go to the door. An older woman wears glasses and has her gray hair pinned on top of her head. “Hi, you must be Jay.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Come on in.” She pushes the door open more, and I follow her in.
Immediately, my nostrils burn, and I almost gag at the smell.
“She was the last one to go, but she’s the sweetest of the bunch.” She reaches into a playpen to take out a white fluff ball and then hands her to me.
The tiny cat digs its sharp little claws into my chest. “Cool.” I reach into my pocket and pull out the five hundred dollars it costs to get this sucker. “Here’s the money. You said you had forms for me to sign?”
“Yes.” She takes the cash and points at a countertop, half filled with cat food the other half actual cats, and hands me a pen.
I read through it real quick and sign my name at the bottom. She gives me a small bag filled with cat food, instructions, and litter. “Thank you.”
“Thank you. Your sister is really going to love her.”
“She will.” Mellie has always wanted a cat. A ragdoll specifically. Begged me to get one, but I always said no. So yeah, I’m trying to bribe her to forgive me. I’m weak right now… what can I say?
I hold the cat on my lap as I continue home.
“Mellicent!” I call up the stairs for her, but she doesn’t answer. Stubborn ass. I head up there and knock on her door. “Mel, open up.”
She yanks the door open but turns her back and walks away to her desk to sit down, continuing to ignore me. I hold the little fur ball in my hand and stick it in front of her face.
“Oh, my God!” She squeals, and the cat digs its nails into my skin.
“Shit.” I shake my arm, and the little thing falls into Mel’s lap. “Sharp-ass claws.”
“Oh my God, you are just the cutest little thing, aren’t you? Yes, you are.” Mel turns and leaps out of her seat to hug me. “Thank you, Jay.”
“You’re welcome.”
She nuzzles the kitty and hugs her close. “She’s adorable.”
“Eh.” I shrug, and Mel slaps my shoulder.
“You take that back. She’s the cutest kitty ever.”
“I’ll say whatever you want if it means you’re talking to me again.”
Mel squints her eyes at me and shakes her head. “You’re a jerk. Buying my affection with the sweetest, most precious kitty in the whole entire world.” She scratches the fluff ball’s ears.
“Hey, it got you to talk to me.”
She laughs and kisses the cat on her little nose.
“I’m sorry, Mel. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
“It’s okay,” she answers without looking at me. “You were right.”
“No. It’s not okay, and I wasn’t right. And not just because you’re my sister, but because I don’t treat people I care about like that. You’re doing so well, and you are living. I’m just an asshole who lost my temper because something was taken out of my control and I fuckin’ hate that.”
Mellicent sits on her bed and pats the seat next to her. I sit down and reach over to scratch the cat’s head. “What are you gonna name this thing?”
“Mouse.”
I laugh for the first time in weeks. “That’s the dumbest name I’ve ever heard, but somehow it fits.”
“You really, really love her?”
“Um, sure. I mean, she’s a cute cat and everyth—”
“I meant Olive, you dork.”
Just hearing her name makes my stomach drop and my blood run faster. “Yeah. I do. So much that I can’t even imagine my life without her in it.”
“I want that.”
“You can have it.”
She sniffles. “I’m scared, Jay.”
“I know you are.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder and tug her closer to me. “But you’re also very brave.”
“Do you know when she’s coming back?”
The abrupt change of subject takes me a second to answer. “No. No clue.”
“I want to get a place of my own.”
My entire body jerks, and the bed shakes with the movement.
“And before you try to stop me, I’ll tell you nothing you say will make me change my mind.”
“Why do you want to move out? If it’s because you want to, that’s fine. But if it’s because of what I said, I won’t let you.”
“It partially is, but I don’t feel like I have to because of that, if that makes sense. I just feel like you saying it made me realize I can’t live in fear forever. I’m not saying I’m going to leave tomorrow, but I’d like to start looking. And I want you to come with me.”
I press my lips together. I don’t have time to apartment shop right now. My ass is up at five in the morning and out until after one every damn night working on getting Livvie back. It’s no longer a case to me. If I call it a case, it doesn’t hold the merit it deserves.
It’s my life. My love. My entire fuckin’ world. And without it, I’m nothing.
“I know you’re busy, and I do not expect you to give up any of your time to look at apartments with me.”
God, I’m a dick. Selfish. Only concerned with Livvie that I’ve made my sister think she’s not as important.
“No, I’ll look with you. Just let me know when and I’ll make it work.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not stupid, Jay. I know your focus is Olive and—” She puts a hand up to stop me from talking. “And I’m okay with that. You’ve given up so much of your life for me and—”
I don’t let her stop me from interrupting this time. “I have not given up any part of my life for you. Don’t you ever say that again. You are my sister. We’re the only family we have, and everything I’ve done has been because I love you. Nothing has been a sacrifice, and nothing will ever be a burden when it comes to you. Got it?”
Her tear-filled eyes blink rapidly, and she nods.
“I love Olive. Like, love her to the point I think I’m insane sometimes. And I hope to God one day you find somebody who makes you feel like that because it’s so damn beautiful. But my love for her doesn’t mean I have less to give you.”
“Okay.”
I pull her to me and kiss the top of her head. “Good. Now, let’s order some takeout and watch TV. This is the first night I’ve been home early in weeks, and I’m exhausted.”
“Can we watch The Property Brothers?”
I hate that show. “Of course.”
She giggles, knowing damn well I can’t stand those guys. “You’re the best.”
“I’m just going to take a quick shower. Order from wherever, you know what I like. I’ll be down in ten.”
“Sounds good.”
I head to my room to grab some clean clothes and stare at the picture of Livvie I have on my dresser. I trace her face with my finger. “Hi, Butterfly.”