Kansas (Ruthless Kings MC Atlantic City #2) - K.L. Savage Page 0,39
She cared enough while she doesn’t even know us. You’re not being appreciative. We have a roof over our heads. We have food. We have clothes. We could have died, Veronica. We could have ended up on a shore where no one found us and we froze to death, but we didn’t. We ended up here, and I’m thankful for that, so grow the fuck up, Veronica.”
It feels good to rant. She’s being so impossible and while she’s usually the one with more attitude, being disrespectful isn’t like her. I won’t have it. “And you aren’t the only one who misses Mom and Dad, if this is what this is about. I miss them too, but guess what? There’s a good chance they lied to us our entire lives. So maybe instead of being mad at the world, be mad at them. I am.” I snag a burnt orange sweater from a hanger and head to the bathroom to get ready.
“I agree with Violet,” Victoria’s small voice whispers.
“No one asked you,” Veronica snips.
I glare at her in the mirror. “Hey! Enough. Don’t talk to your sister like that. You’re being a bitch. You hate it here so bad; nothing is stopping you from heading home.” I tug the sweater over my head and gather the strands of my hair to untuck it from the material. “I should warn you, if you do, there’s a good chance a drug dealer will find you. So go ahead, leave at your own risk.” I don’t want her to leave. I’d be too worried, but I have this habit of saying things I don’t mean when I’m pissed off.
Isn’t that the worst thing about anger? It takes over, engulfing you in a thick cloud, suffocating you, boiling your blood, loosening your tongue until all that’s left is to explode. Words are spit out like rancid venom and while the momentary relief feels good, the damage is done.
And sometimes, there is no mending what words have broken.
I have to do a dance to fit the dark blue skinny jeans. My ass is much bigger than it looks. I do a few squats and stretch the material, then tug on the waistband. Good god, these are tight. I’m not going to be able to breathe for the entire date.
It will be fine.
“You don’t mean that,” Veronica says with emotion choking her throat.
I turn my head over my shoulder and act casual as I take a peek at her. “No? Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that what all of this is about, Veronica?” I flip my hair and grab the hairspray and spritz it onto my roots to give my coils some discipline. I don’t need them getting out of hand tonight. I flip my head over again and realize there isn’t much else I can do.
I stare at her through the mirror again and she wraps her arms around her knees and pulls them to her chest, setting her chin on top of them. “You know it isn’t.”
“Then you need to figure out why you are treating those around you like complete garbage. I won’t stand for it. Put in some effort, Veronica. We might be here a while.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I spin around, shocked that she just admitted defeat. I push off the bathroom counter and exhale while heading over to her. I wrap her in a hug and hold on tight. “I love you, and I’m sorry our lives have changed. We have to adapt or we won’t make it, okay?”
“Okay,” she nods, throwing her arms around my neck.
“Come here.” I gesture to Victoria to join us, and she knee-walks across the bed, wrapping an arm around me and the other around Veronica.
“I love you both so much,” I whisper. “We’re all we’ve got. No matter what, we stick together, okay?”
“Okay,” nods Victoria.
“Okay,” repeats Veronica.
A knock on the door interrupts our moment.
“Oh my god, that’s him.” I break our hug and lean back, catching Veronica wiping a tear off her cheek. “Do I look okay?” I give them a spin.
“Gorgeous as always,” Victoria comments, giving me a big grin as she sits down next to Veronica.
I skip to the door about to burst with excitement and nerves. I’ve been on dates before, but none like this. None where I felt like this could be the beginning of something really special.
He knocks again, and my hand is frozen on the doorknob. Oh my god, what if he is the guy? My guy. The guy