Midnight Wreckage - Winter Travers Page 0,20
not wise enough yet.”
I tapped my finger to my nose. “You are correct. I did not think like an addict.” I leaned close. “Spoiler, I still don’t.”
Sledge smirked. “That’s a good thing, sugar.”
“I won’t bore you with the other two times she came to me, gave me a sob story, and then took off with a couple of my paychecks.” Robyn set another drink in front of me. “Thirteen or fourteen months ago, she winds up pregnant. Things finally start to click into place. She’s in rehab talking with Lynn and things are good. Pops out my adorable nephew, gets her own place, and for once in my life, I feel like I have a normal life.”
“That is where the story should have ended.”
I nod. “Yeah, it should have, but you know it didn’t. She relapses. I move her back in. Take a week off of work, make sure she’s staying clean. Two days after I go back to work, she’s dead and I’m raising my nephew.”
“Wait, that’s you?” Robyn slapped her hand over her mouth. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but that’s kind of the only perk of my job. Sorry.”
“That is me.”
Robyn’s jaw dropped. “I donated to the reward fund. I’ve watched and listened to everything I can about you and Gunner. It’s absolutely horrible what happened.”
Understatement of the year. “Yeah.”
“How about that pool game?” Sledge asked. He planted his feet on the ground and grabbed my hand. “I need to see if you’re a ringer or not.”
He pulled me over to the pool table but didn’t let go of my hand. He looked down at me. “You good?”
“Um, are we talking about me being tipsy or the fact Robyn knows my whole life story now?”
“Robyn.”
I cringed. “Well, if I wouldn’t have been so tipsy I probably wouldn’t have talked so loud, so it’s really my own fault. Although, right now, the thought just popped into my head that she might think I’m a horrible person because I’m in a bar while my nephew is missing.” Oh, God. I was a babbling mess. I was the “You have a baby in a bar” chick but without my baby. I glanced at Robyn who was watching Sledge and me. “Do you think we can pull a Men in Black on her and erase her memory?”
“You are tipsy, sugar.” Sledge brushed my hair back from my face. “You’re not a horrible person and I didn’t get the vibe from Robyn like she was judging you.”
I peeked up at Sledge. “She does seem nice. Maybe I should invite her to Book Club. You know, if I make her my friend she won’t think I’m a baddy.”
“Take a breath, Queenie.” He cupped my cheek in his hand and backed us up until I bumped into the table. I grabbed his arm to steady myself. “Stop worrying about whatever people think. You’re doing everything you can. You’re allowed an hour or two to yourself to get a grip and reenergize.”
“Day drinking is reenergizing?” I laughed.
“In the badass biker world, it is.”
“And that is the world I seem to be living in right now.” I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes. “I think I’m drunk.”
“No thinking about it.”
I smiled wide. “Can I kick your ass in a game of pool now?”
“I’d like to see you try.”
*
Chapter Nine
Do you ever feel…exhausted?
Sledge
The same number flashed on the screen of my phone.
“Uh, you’re pretty popular today.”
I silenced the call and dropped it on the couch. “It’s the news.”
Queenie sat up and tucked her legs under her. “Um, excuse me?”
I focused on the TV.
“Is that all you’re going to say? Pretty sure the news calling you is a big deal.”
“They want to do a story about you and Gunner.”
“Okay.”
I glanced over at her. “You know all of that shit you spilled to me at the bar the other day? They’re gonna wanna hear all of that. Then once they air the story, some asshole hiding behind a computer screen is going to think they can tear apart whatever they hear and spin it into some bullshit.”
Queenie wrinkled her nose. “Well, that doesn’t sound like fun.”
I turned back to the TV. “That’s why I’m not answering the phone. The police can hold a press conference if they want. Putting you in front of the camera isn’t going to help. If anything, it might piss off the people who tried to kill you the first time.”
“You don’t really think they’re going to try to kill me again, do