Page 82 of A Little Naughty

“I’ll be there.” It’s a heavy weight in my chest, but I’m keeping my word.

Reaching for the passenger door of the truck, I move him out of the way.

His arms uncross, but he’s not backing down. “Good, because these guys don’t respond well to people breaking their word. I’d hate to be part of a team coming to find you.”

“Would you?”

I know first-hand my brother really enjoys beating the shit out of people when they’re being held on the ground. Street justice, he calls it.

“Don’t fuck around and find out.”

My jaw tightens, and a new layer is added to this fucked up mess I’ve gotten myself into. I still need the money, but if that’s all it was, I could still walk away. Now everything I do impacts Jemima and Nikki, and I can’t let them get hurt.

Fuck. And I just said I was smarter than this asshole.

“I said I’ll be there.” My tone is flat.

“Good luck, son.” I look up to see my dad standing in the doorway, and my stomach twists.

The old man. He has no idea the devil’s lurking around his door.

“Thanks, Dad.”

One day I’ll be back to get him, but today isn’t the day. Today I’m getting out of hell.

I’m doing what I should’ve done years ago. I just never had a good enough reason.

* * *

“Porkchop!”Nikki is waiting when I pull into the parking lot in front of the newspaper office.

She opens the latch on the wooden gate surrounding the small yard and runs to the side of the truck. I lean over to unlock the door for her.

Porkchop sat on the seat the whole drive, and when we got into town, he bobbed his head, looking all around like he was on some kind of doggy adventure.

Now Nikki is sitting in the truck hugging him, and his tongue is hanging out.

“I’m pretty sure he has no idea what’s going on.” I hand her the leash. “It’s only the third time he’s been out of our yard.”

“He’s going to like it here. You’ll see.” She leads him out of the truck, and he jumps forward so hard, it jerks her whole body.

“You got him?” I lean forward, watching as she guides him to the small house.

“I’ve got him!” She opens the gate and pushes him inside with her butt as she pulls it closed again. “He’s the coolest dog ever, and I’m going to teach him how to mind.”

Exhaling a laugh, I close and lock the truck before grabbing my suitcase and setting it inside the fence. “Good luck with that.”

Leaving home wasn’t as bad as I’d anticipated. I knew Bull was going to be a pain in the ass, and I fully expect the place to turn into a dump now that I’m not there to pick up the trash he drops on the ground beside the garbage cans.

I do worry about my dad, though. He’s getting worse, and his disability check only goes so far. Getting him off the hooch is at the top of my to-do list once I get my shit straight.

“That’s a very serious look, Mr. Jones.” The sweet voice melts all the worries pressing against my chest, and I turn to see Jemima stepping across the small alley that separates her office from our house.

Our house. It’s a strange thought to hold in my mind. This little place where we’re getting started. Or something. I guess it’s all temporary, even if it keeps feeling like it’s real more and more.

I put an arm around her shoulders as she hugs me. “Just thinking about my dad.”

“Was he sad to see you go?”

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