I shake my head. “Nah, I just do it when I want to tune out. I actually steal it from my uncle.”
Hunter’s forehead creases as we reach the end of the hallway that splits into two other hallways.
“Your uncle sells?” Hunter asks, steering me to the right.
I shrug as I peer around at the stars painted on the ceiling. “I’m not sure. All I know is that he steals some of the drugs from the raids he does and stashes them in our attic, so I occasionally sneak up there and steal a little here and there. I’m not sure what he does with the rest, but my bet is he sells it or does the drugs himself … Although, I’m not sure if he’s going to have a stash now that we live here.” I blow out a sigh. Which means I’m probably going to have to find a dealer since weed isn’t legal here yet. And even if it was, I’m not old enough to buy it. I had a fake ID once, but my uncle found it and cut it up. He also bruised the hell out of my face for it.
Back in the day, before I went to live with my aunt and uncle, I used to see dealers all the time, hanging out on street corners, in front of the school, sometimes in our living room. But I never did drugs until I moved in with my uncle, and I have no idea how to even find a dealer. Unless these guys deal. Do mobsters deal drugs?
Hunter smiles at the look on my face. “Where’s your head at, little raven? Because you look confused, like you’re thinking too hard, and it’s really adorable.”
“I’m never adorable,” I argue, but he only grins. “Whatever.” I sigh. “I was just thinking—or, well, wondering—where I’m going to get my stash if my uncle doesn’t hide drugs in our attic anymore.” I arch my brows at him and say sarcastically, “Pretty damn adorable, right?”
“Definitely.” He wiggles his hand from mine then slings his arm over my shoulders. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head. Zay and I’ll take care of you.”
“Why?” I question. “Are you guys a bunch of potheads?”
He dismisses my question with a flick of his wrist. “Nah, we just like to have fun occasionally.”
“Only occasionally, huh?” I tease, looking up at him.
He gives an exaggerated nod then leans in and whispers, “If it were up to me, I’d have fun twenty-four seven, but big brother up there”—he nods at Jax—“is a total buzzkill. Seriously, he’s all about working … and blah … blah … blah …” He flaps his hand, making talking motions.
“You know I can hear you, right?” Jax calls out without looking back at us.
Hunter’s eyes go mockingly wide. “Shit, now I’m gonna be grounded.”
I giggle, the sound echoing down the hallway, again reminding me how ungodly huge this place is.
“Is this really you guys’ house?” I glance around at the cathedral-like ceiling.
“Yep.” He pulls me closer to his side. “All our names are on the deed and everything.”
I stare at him in awe. “I just … How is that possible? I mean, you’re eighteen for crying out loud. You can’t own a house yet.”
His eyes sparkle as he leans in. “Says who?”
“Says the rest of us almost eighteen-year-olds who own nothing but shoes.”
“Some own bigger stuff, like cars.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t. I don’t even know how to drive.”
He slows to a stop, his eyes widening. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
I give a shrug. “Sorry, but I’m not. It’s not that big of a deal, though. I’m only seventeen. Well, soon I’ll be eighteen, but …” I shrug again, unsure of what else to say.
He stares at me unfathomably. “Why hasn’t anyone taught you yet?”
I shift my weight, hyperaware that Zay has stopped just a ways down the hallway and is listening. “Well, I asked my aunt once, but she said she didn’t have time.” Actually, she said she didn’t want to waste her time trying to teach an idiot to drive, but I leave that part out. “And there’s nobody else to ask except Dixie May, but she’s already been in, like, five accidents already, so I didn’t think it was a good idea to learn from her. Plus, like I said, we don’t get along. At all.”
Zay backtracks toward us. “What about your uncle?”
I glance at him. “What about him?”
His lean arms flex as he crosses them. “Why didn’t you ever ask him to teach you? He’s a cop. I’m sure he knows how to drive pretty well.”
My lips tug downward and my hand drifts to my side. “My uncle and I … our relationship is complicated, hence the reason I threw his name out to you guys.”
“Yeah, but why?” Zay’s dark eyes search mine. “What’s he done to you that made his name almost instinctive when we asked you who we should take care of? I mean, it basically rolled off your tongue— ” he snaps his fingers—“just like that.”
My fingers curl around my side. “Is that really important?”
He nods, his gaze blazing with the same intensity I saw earlier, right before he made Hunter drag me out of the school. “It is. And you want to know why?” He waits for me to answer and part of me wants to shake my head, a little afraid of the answer. Instead, I find myself nodding. A grin curls at his lips. “Because, when we punish someone, we like to make sure the punishment fits the crime. So whatever your uncle has done to you, we want to do the same to him. Only maybe we’ll do it a little bit deeper, make him bleed a little bit more, drag out the pain a little bit longer.”
I gulp down a shaky breath. “What if I told you all he did was call me names?”
“You don’t throw out a name like that without having some deep issues with the person.” He inches toward me. “So, tell me, princess, how did he hurt you?”
My heart thunders in my chest for a flash of a second as I actually contemplate telling someone about that god-awful day.
“I …” My words fade as a series of beeps echo through the air.
“Shit,” Hunter curses, sticking his hand into his pocket.
Zay does the same thing, and then both of them take out their phones.
I’m about to ask what’s going on when Jax announces from the other end of the hallway, “We’ve been summoned by The Bosses.”
The Bosses? How very mobster-ish.
“But why?” Hunter gripes, clutching his phone. “I’d way rather go take care of her uncle.”
“It’s fine,” I say, although a twisted part of me was really looking forward to whatever they were going to do. “I probably shouldn’t have asked you guys to do anything to him anyway.”
“No, you should’ve,” Hunter assures me, grazing his knuckles across my jawline. “And don’t pout. We’re still going to take care of him. It’ll just have to be tomorrow.”
“Why?” I pry. “What are you guys doing tonight?”
Hunter’s lips part, but Jax talks first as he walks toward us.
“We can’t tell you about that yet.” He stops beside Hunter. “Not until you take the oath.”
I pull a confused face. “Oath?”
“We all had to take it.” Hunter turns to look at his reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall while Zay fixes his tie then runs his hands across the top of his head.
Why are they getting all primpy? Just where are they about to go?
“What kind of oath is it?” I try to pry more information from them, to no avail.
“We’ll explain that tomorrow,” Jax answers as he sends a text message. “Right now, we need to go.”
Hunter turns around to face us again. “Are we dropping her off on our way?”
Jax shakes his head as he stuffs his phone into his pocket. “No, I’m having Zee drive her.”
Hunter nods. “Good idea.”
“Who the heck is Zee?” I interrupt.
“Our driver,” Hunter answers simply, like it’s totally not a big deal that they have a driver.
“Oh. Okay. Cool.” I have no idea what else to say.
This is all so weird. They’re so weird. This freakin’ day is so weird. But who am I to judge them?
I mean, I am the girl who was accused of killing her parents and couldn’t even remember doing it. That’s beyond weird. And creepy. And scary.
Freak.
Loser.
Murderer.
I hate myself.
When Jax’s phone beeps again, he turns to Zay and Hunter. “That’s probably Zee. One of you walk her out front. I need to go grab some stuff.” He gives a quick glance in my direction then walks past me without even saying goodbye.
“I’ll walk her out,” Hunter volunteers with a trace of a smile.
Zay promptly shakes his head. “You go grab our stuff. I’ll walk her out.”
“Oh, fine.” He pouts for a microsecond, but then his smile returns as his gaze slides to me. “I’ll see your beautiful face tomorrow.” Then he leans in and kisses me on the forehead. My brows rise to my hairline in surprise, and he chuckles, saying, “So cute,” before walking away.
Zay sighs then shakes his head before nodding for me to follow him. “Come on, princess; let’s get you home.”
I walk beside him as he starts down the hallway. “You know, I really think if you’re set on giving me a nickname, you should come up with one better than princess. It doesn’t fit me at all.” I also want to point out that from what Hunter said, he usually doesn’t give nicknames to people, but I don’t want to rat out Hunter.
He casts a mildly amused sidelong glance. “I think it does.”
I scrunch up my nose. “I think you’re wrong. Princess seems like a nickname for someone who’s high maintenance, and I’m not. At all.”
“You’re not, huh?” he mocks as we reach a set of wide doors. “I’ve only known you for a day, and I’ve already had to jump into a freezing river to save your ass.”