Vicious Rebel (82 Street Vandals #2) - Heather Long Page 0,22
I waited until they were both ready to go. Kestrel checked the hallway before I left Vaughn’s room.
I needed to understand these guys, how they worked and where their friendships were in relation to each other. Not everyone who came and went here was close. Some were definitely closer than others—like Freddie and Jasper, which seemed like a weird combination. Other relationships were more strained—like Jasper and everyone else.
Or Liam.
I needed to know where I stood. And who I could trust.
Because I was here.
As much as I might not want to admit it…I needed their help.
Chapter 7
Emersyn
If I thought going down for food that night would solve anything, I was wrong. Not only did Jasper not make an appearance for food, Doc only dropped in for a couple of minutes to grab some before he carried it upstairs.
He and Jasper remained shut away with Freddie. Vaughn got a phone call and then left with Liam burning out behind him, and then it was just me, Kestrel, and Rome. My grilled cheese and fries were amazing, but not enough of a conversation starter.
I half expected Rome to ask questions, but he didn’t. All he said was, “Going out.”
“Watch your back,” Kestrel told him as he stood.
“Should you be going out alone?” I had no idea what was going on, but it seemed a fair question to ask.
Rome only glanced at me, his faint smile almost but not quite a smirk. Clearly, he was thinking if I went out by myself why shouldn’t he? But he still didn’t say anything as he tugged my hair gently on his way past.
Then it was me and Kestrel.
Alone.
I cleaned up my trash and then glanced around the kitchen for something to do, but there really wasn’t anything.
“C’mon, Sparrow,” Kestrel said, handing me a beer. “Let’s go watch some TV until you’re up for sleeping.”
Despite how long I tried to wait, Vaughn didn’t come back and neither did Rome. By the third beer, my yawns were cracking my jaw, and I had a feeling that was Kestrel’s intention.
He walked me up, told me goodnight, and then left me in my room, alone. The next three days were like nothing had ever happened with Jasper, Vaughn, or Doc for that matter.
First, I didn’t see any of them, and I was too worried about Freddie to get butthurt over it. Okay, correction, I was too worried to get upset over the absolute lack of Jasper and Doc, but that didn’t explain Vaughn unless he was taking a shift looking after him. Detoxing was a bitch.
I’d offer to help, but I didn’t know where he was.
And I’d tried a couple of the doors, they were either locked or the rooms were empty. Not exactly encouraging participation. Weird thing was that no one watched me as closely. Or at least they didn’t seem to be.
Kestrel was there in the mornings, since he woke me up each day and made breakfast. I tried to help one day, but he just kept waving me at the table with the cracked seal around the edges and the splits in the chairs. Rome breezed in, smelling of sunshine, cold air, and paint, then he was gone again.
Something Doc had said to me kept circling around and around in the back of my mind. When he disappears for a few days, you can usually expect something beautiful to show up. No Rome meant no Liam. When Kestrel left, I either watched television or I went to the studio.
Most days, I went into the studio. I was still trying to figure out what to say. I’d work out how to approach the topic with Vaughn, but the end of the day would come and go without any sign of him. On the fourth day, I ignored the breakfast Kestrel had fixed, poured my coffee, and walked the hell out of their clubhouse.
I’d found a pack of Jasper’s cigarettes tucked into the corner of the sofa and the lighter had been under it. I might have cleaned up one afternoon after I’d torn the place apart in frustration.
They even had a vacuum tucked away in a cubby. The rat who’d found me throwing everything in the living room had stared at me with a dirty smirk and vicious eyes. I’d dealt with grubby little sycophants like him all my life. When I stared at him with no expression, his smirk fell away and he finally stammered an ‘excuse me’ before he ducked out.