Page 83 of American Hellhound
She slipped out of the bathroom and down the hall. Collier and Jackie sat together on the sofa, Aidan at their feet, sleepily absorbed in whatever was on TV. Ghost was in the recliner, perched on the edge of the seat, every line and muscle taut. His head snapped up immediately when she appeared in the threshold. Collier and Jackie turned to look more slowly.
It felt like one of those precipice moments: caught between fighting what chased her, and falling off the edge.Leapingoff. She felt dizzy, suddenly, sixteen and out of her depth. Did she fight? Step off? Or leap?
“Anyone hungry?” she asked, and didn’t think her voice shook too badly.
Somehow, she didn’t think she’d have much choice in the matter. She’d be forced to leap, and hope she managed not to hit the ground.
~*~
They had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinner. Comfort classics ready in ten minutes. Her mother would have died. Jackie helped Maggie in the kitchen and she was grateful for the company; the small talk kept her mind off darker things.
“It’ll be okay, you’ll see,” Jackie said, hugging Maggie as she and Collier left.
Maggie smiled. “Thanks.” She believed her – in that she planned to make the best of things, though she had no delusions about her life returning to normal.
Aidan had fallen asleep on the couch and Ghost picked him up carefully. “Be right back,” he whispered, and carried the boy off to bed.
With their company gone, Maggie allowed the fatigue to wash over her. She was shaky with spent nerves, totally drained.
“Damn,” she murmured, sinking down onto the couch. Ghost had fixed her a Jack and Coke earlier, and she plucked it off the end table. The ice had melted and it slid down her throat, warm, and fizzy, and kicking. Just what she needed. Again, her mother would havedied.
Ghost returned, silent in his socked feet, grabbing the whiskey bottle off the counter on his way to the couch. “Damn,” he said, and sat down next to her, close enough that she slid into his side when the cushion dipped.
She smiled. “That’s what I said.”
“Pretty much sums it up.” He clinked the bottle against her glass and took a long swallow. When he spoke next, she felt his warm breath right in her ear. He draped his arm across her shoulders, holding her against him. “I’ll get the car fixed up. It’ll take a couple days, tops. And you can drive my truck until then.”
“What if they spray paint the truck?”
“Well, I’m guessing your claws took care of that. But if they do, I’ll fix it up too.”
“You’re sweet.” And he was. So much sweeter than she’d thought possible, back when he kissed her outside the liquor store that first time. “But I’m suspended. I don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow.”
He gave her a squeeze.
“What does it mean? Lean Bitch?”
“Ah.” He shifted a little. When she tipped her head back against his arm, she saw him wince. “Yeah. Well. That’s what the…ah…the…”
She’d never seen him like this. It would be cute if it wasn’t worrying.
“It’s what the groupies call themselves.”
“Groupies?”
“Club groupies. You know…” He wasblushing.
“Would club groupies be anything like band groupies?”
“They wanna have sex with the club guys. Run errands. Generally don’t wear panties.” He looked to the ceiling and exhaled like it pained him to talk about this. It wasadorable. “So yeah. Like band groupies.”
Maggie bit her lip. “How terrible for you, being around all those panty-less women.”
“Hey…” he started, then looked down and saw that she was grinning. He smirked. “It’s the leather, you know. The ladies just can’t resist it.”
She laughed. “You sure it’s not the whole sad, handsome single dad thing?”
He shrugged. “Nah.”
