Page 58 of Prince of Pain

“I mean, if you want to help, I won’t say no. Hunter is swamped with Devil’s Dungeon stuff, I’m needed at the school for a meeting with Noah’s teacher, and Slash and Skeet are already on jobs with Caden and Ty,” she answered, exhaustion filling her eyes.

I hadn’t had anything to do with Noah. He was Mom’s latest foster kid, and he’d been with us for almost two weeks.

With my mood swings and recovery issues to focus on, Mom hadn’t pushed me to get to know the guy.

I hadn’t even known until last week that the kid wasn’t a little boy and he was a sixteen-year-old.

“Where’s Diesel?”

“Overseeing some of the construction of the new community center in the Heights. Luke and Jense are with him,” she replied, moving around the desk towards me. “Lexi called me. She wanted to thank you for last night but didn’t want to bother you.”

“We heard from Archer,” Marco stated, moving away from the paperwork. “They need to get her into rehab.”

“She won’t go because she doesn’t think she has a problem,” I said lightly, and Mom scoffed.

“If he wants to involuntarily send her there, I’ll pay for it. She’s past the point of getting a say in it.”

“You'd put me in there against my will if you had to?” I asked, making her nod.

“If you were like that, then sure. The girl needs a reality check and to be humbled. At least you maintained your respect for your family. She’s out of control.”

“I was too, I just hid it better,” I mumbled, fidgeting with my hands and making her eyes drop to them.

“You’re getting twitchy, so let's shelve this conversation. Feel free to organize things if you wish, but no pressure. I love you,” she said on her way past, pausing as I turned and hugged her.

“Love you too, Mom.”

Her arms wrapped around me to return the hug, and she patted my shoulder before leaving, needing to get to the school. Noah was a good kid, but he was troubled. Cruz and the other Night Thieves had brought him back from Kensington while visiting Cruz’s brother, and Mom warned me he’d been through a lot.

Marco explained the different piles needed before leaving me to it, and I spent the next two hours sorting through the mountain of papers, my mind completely silent by the time I was finished.

“I can’t believe you,” Mom growled as she stalked in, and it took me a second to realize she wasn’t talking to me. A kid walked in behind her, defiance on his face.

“He had it coming! He’s been singling me out since day one!”

“You don’t set a fucking teacher’s car on fire in broad daylight!” she replied exasperatedly, halting the argument when she saw the separated piles of paper all over the desk. “You’re done?”

“Yeah. Whose car? Bet it was that fucking balding bastard from English,” I chuckled, the kid grinning.

“Yeah, it was Mr. Forehead.”

“They still call him that? He was known as that when I first started,” I answered, earning the stink eye from Mom.

“At least when you kids wanted revenge on your teachers, you waited until after dark.”

“The kid’s a rookie, he’ll learn,” I joked, getting to my feet. “I’m going to head home. Oh, the water bill for the shed is due in two days too.”

She cursed, grabbing the stack of bills I’d put aside. “I’ll handle it, thanks. Can you take Noah? I’m late for a meeting with fucking Rage.”

I eyed the kid, and he seemed to relax at the idea of that as if I’d help get him into trouble. He could do that all on his own, I didn’t need Mom’s wrath for getting him arrested or something.

“Sure.”

“Straight home. No detours, hookers, or parties,” she deadpanned, and I saluted her as I walked towards Noah by the door.

“I’ll make sure the dealer delivers to the house tonight then.”

“You’re not funny,” she grumbled, and I motioned for Noah to follow me through the warehouse and out into the cooling air.

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