seen some of himself in me. But not love or like, not enough for him to come back to me anyway, but he did and he still claims it was love. I do believe him. What man would come back for a girl when he knows his family killed her father? One who must have wanted to try, through all the odds he wanted to try. And I was weak. But I’m not anymore and I refuse to let Mack torture me for the past mistakes we both made.
Piper frowns. “I don’t pity you. That was not my pity face.” She darts to the mirror on the dresser and says, “I can control my pity face. I work with kids, I have to be able to control that look.” She anxiously pulls and pokes at her face and it makes me laugh.
A knowing grin appears on Piper’s face. Oooh, she’s good.
“Like I said, I work with kids. You might not know this, but I have a stutter.” My eyebrows pinch together. Piper stutters? “I might appear sad by a situation, but I do not pull the ‘oh poor thing’ face. I’ve seen enough of them to last me a lifetime.” Piper heads for the door, but I want to ask the question that’s on the tip of my tongue before she leaves.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but I’ve never heard you stutter, I don’t think so anyway.”
“I’ve learned to control it. However, eventually Slater will piss me off or God forbid get hurt and then you’ll hear a whole string of stuttering.”
My chest tightens. Piper has been nothing but kind to me since I arrived. My brother tried to kill her and yet she treats me with respect, as an individual, and she hasn’t once blamed me for my brother’s decisions. It sucks to think people may have treated her differently because of her speech.
“Now you’re giving me the look.”
“Shit.” Unconsciously my head swings to the mirror and I find a soft expression on my face, one of adoration, not pity.
Piper laughs. “You’re great practice. I’m going to have these street kids eating out of my hands soon.”
I can’t help but laugh at her words. Damn. I really like her.
***
Walking through the hospital, I’m surrounded by the Kings. Slater’s in the lead holding Piper’s hand. People move out of their way instantly, giving us a wide berth. I can understand why. The Kings’ swagger is one of confidence and danger. They don’t walk somewhere, they forge a determined path and make sure their outward appearance lets everyone know nothing will get in their way.
We arrive at a lift and get in. Slater pulls out a keycard, swipes it and presses the button for the top floor. The lift comes to a stop and the doors open. We all step out and I gasp when my eyes find Brett standing near a reception desk. I stop, refusing to go any further, ready for an all-out brawl when Slater steps forward. But his body doesn’t tense and no punches are thrown. Slater grasps Brett’s palm with his own –their hands in a fist- and they shoulder tap each other, something I know the guys do with only their closest friends.
My mind is blown. They’re friends? I thought Brett was an enemy to the Kings, and a messenger they barely tolerated?
“She’s good, sitting up and moving around a lot more today,” Brett informs Slater before winking at me; he steps into the lift and presses a button for the doors to close. I turn back around and find all the guys and Piper looking at me with grins on their faces. Pressing my lips tightly together I don’t say a word, not sure how to take the fact that Rex has a friend who’s indeed working for his enemy. You think you know people.
The woman sitting behind the reception desk gains our attention when she gives us all a chirpy, “Hello.”
All the guys smile and lift their chins, however, no one stops to talk to her.
We follow Slater and Piper up a long corridor and then finally, they stop at room number twenty-one. While my heart beats heavily against my chest, I rub my fingers across my clammy hands and then still my body as Slater and Piper walk through the door and disappear. Kelso, Pacer, and Mackson all stop with me and give me curious looks.