Joes. It’ll be easier for them to spot movement if the town is mostly asleep.”
“What do we do until then?”
“Stay here and plot,” Bronco mumbles, thoughts elsewhere. “We didn’t want this meeting at Rooster’s since our enemies might be watching the clubhouse.”
I frown at the thought of Pixie and her family sitting alone in my house until early tomorrow. Bronco notices something on my face.
“Aren’t they set up for the night? Plenty of food, know where the panic room is located, and how to use the stove.”
Bronco and Lowell smile at each other about that last part.
Cracking my knuckles, I look around. “What are we supposed to do until go time?”
“Why are you so restless?”
Sighing, I frown at the question. “It’s not as if I had a lot of time to plan for Pixie to move in. She just ended up there, and then her family came. We haven’t gotten used to each other or found a routine. People are always dropping by. I have tons of boxed crap in my house. The sooner we deal with the assholes, the sooner I can figure out how to live with my people.”
Bronco stops eyeballing me as if I’m a threat. “I remember when Lana showed up that first weekend. I wanted alone time with her but didn’t get it. Left me in asshole mode for a week.”
“Yeah, man, we remember,” Lowell taunts.
Grinning, Bronco watches me. “Tomorrow, you’ll do this party thing at the Woodlands’ clubhouse. Soon, we can kill whoever needs killing. Things will settle down. You’ll find a routine and see if you can make shit work.”
I don’t mention to Bronco how I’m never letting Pixie go. If she decides my house is no good, we’ll move. I don’t give a shit about my property or possessions. My only concern is to keep Pixie looking at me like she did last night when we fucked. For the first time in my entire life, I felt down deep appreciated, acknowledged, and accepted. I’m not giving her up for anyone.
But tonight, I can’t run home to Pixie. John Marks and the Killing Joes are a threat to our future.
In fact, I’m pumped—ready to kick asses, break skulls, crack bones. Violence would be a relief.
Rather than drawing blood, we plan and plot for a few hours. Then we eat pizza delivered to the house. Next, we plan more. I’m so bored that I smoke a joint to avoid losing my shit. The tension in the basement is palpable. The men expect me to prove myself to them again. After three years of living here, I’m back to square one.
Before Pixie, these men’s disapproval would have crushed me. But, right now, I’m far more interested in my future than whatever guilt they want to put on me for my past.
More than once, I text Pixie. Eventually, I also hide in the bathroom to call her.
“You sound strange,” she says, talking too loudly into the phone.
“It’s just how I sound on calls.”
“When will you return?”
“Probably not until early tomorrow.” She reacts to my words by inhaling deeply. Realizing she’s panicking about staying in the house alone for that long, I add, “You can order food if you run out.”
“There’s more than enough food.”
“But if you’re ever hungry, you can order a delivery.”
“But we’re not supposed to answer the door.”
“Oh, yeah,” I say, chuckling. “Thanks for remembering what I told you. But I can bring food if you’re hungry.”
“Stop feeding me. We already ate leftovers from the lunch delivery. We didn’t finish it all. You ordered so much.”
“I miss you,” I say since she seems agitated.
“I want to see you,” Pixie insists. “Can I come to where you are?”
“You need to stay at the house and protect your family.”
“What can I do to protect them?”
“Hit the bad guys with a rock. It worked on the Volkshalberd.”
I feel Pixie’s smile when she says, “I miss you too.”
“Bronco thinks everything should settle down in a few days. Like when you moved from the government apartment to the Village. Everything was very stressful at first. Then you found your pace. It’ll be that way in the house.”
“Can I go to the grocery store and look at vegetables?”
“Tomorrow, I’ll take you.”
“Can Mama come and look too?”
“Sure.”
“I’m afraid to sleep alone in your room,” she says, and I can imagine the fear on her face.
“Then maybe you can sleep downstairs with your family. There are two beds and a couch.”