Page 59 of The Devil's Redemption

Oh, shit.

“Because he’s not your father. Nor is he the one you’re intended for. Nothing has changed, Maggie.”

The fuck?

“Well, I’m not cleared to leave here yet. I still have quite a bit ofhealingto do. But when Idofinally leave, I won’t be coming home.”

She looks at Sasha as she says this. I get the meaning behind her words. Even when their physical wounds have disappeared, the emotional ones will continue to burn.

“I want you back here, where you belong, ASAP. Do you understand me?”

“When I left home, it was for the last time. I haven’t changed my mind, and I’m not letting what happened derail my plans. It was just an obstacle. One that I overcame.”

She sits up a little taller with that last statement, and I don’t miss the look of pride on Hawk’s face.

He loves her.

Or he cares for her, at least. I don’t know if I would go so far as to call it love.

“Maggie, you know what will happen if you don’t follow my ord—”

He doesn’t get a chance to finish his threat before Hawk rips the phone out of Maggie’s hand.

“Listen here. Maggie ismypatient, and she’s not leavingmycare until she’s ready.”

“Do you know who I am, boy? Talk to me like that again, and I’ll reach through this phone and end you here and now,” Royce threatens.

“I really don’t give a flying fuckwhoyou are. You can take your phone and shove it. I’m not afraid of you,” Hawk spits back before ending the call.

He tosses the phone onto the counter behind him before taking a deep breath and looking around the room at all of us. Sasha’s shocked gaze doesn’t surprise me, but Maggie’s does. I’m sure she’s never heard anyone speak to her father that way and live to tell the tale.

“What?” Hawk questions me.

“Nothin’, man. I’m staying out of this. Unless he comes here and tries to kill you. Which I now think ishighlylikely,” I laugh. “Then I’ve got your back.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Hawk grins.

“Thank you,” Maggie voices, a slight shine to her eyes. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone stand up for me like that.”

“Well, he’s an asshole. And I don’t like assholes,” Hawk answers.

The room grows quiet for a moment, none of us sure what to say next. Before any of us can speak, Stone storms through the door into the infirmary.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” he shouts.

He scares Sasha so badly, she jumps out of the chair and practically hides behind Maggie’s bed. I put myself between her and Stone. I know she’s not in danger, but I want to reassure her that she’s protected.

“What are you talking about?” I ask him.

“Royce just called me, screaming about disrespect and telling me I have twenty-four hours to return Maggie to him. What the fuck did you say to him?”

“I told him that I wasn’t releasing her until she was ready. She’s not ready to go home, so I told her she can stay here. She’s an adult, and he’s a fucking asshole.”

“Jesus Christ!You guys and your fucking ol’ ladies! Years from now, when people ask what happened to the Devil’s Skull, someone is going to tell them that everything went to hell because you guys went and got your heads all fucked up by some voodoo pussy bullshit. Loosen the vise grip on their balls a little bit, girls. Will you? Goddamn it!”

Stone continues to shout long strings of obscenities as he walks back out of the room, through the house, and into the garage.

Sasha stays in the corner next to Maggie’s bed until Hawk and I burst out into laughter. Maggie follows suit after a moment.

---