Page 25 of A Kingpin's Weakness
“Now we got each other’s numbers. Lock up. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Goodnight,” she said.
I started to turn but stopped. “Wait.”
“What?”
I didn’t hesitate. I closed the space between us and pulled her into my arms. S3 was gone, nowhere around to wake up and catch me with some stranger, so I took my chance. My lips found hers, crashing hard, hungry.
She melted against me, her hands sliding around my neck as I held her waist tight. She opened just enough, our tongues meeting and moving, dancing their own slow dance in the quiet of her room. Time slipped away. Nothing else mattered.
When I finally pulled back, breathless, I whispered, “Goodnight.” And just like that, I stepped away, leaving her there. My heart still racing as I walked out the door.
CHAPTER 7
Stormi
It’d been a week,and Noah still hadn’t woken up. I felt like my prayers were just bouncing off the ceiling like God didn’t wanna hear from me. Hell, I barely knew the man until I needed something. And right now, I needed this. I needed Noah to wake up, to make it through. Because if he didn’t, I wasn’t sure I would.
Jo hadn’t been back here since day one. She swore she had a million things to handle getting the house ready for when Noah came home, picking up his work from school. But I knew better. She was somewhere, probably getting high or messed up. Jo was getting on my last nerve, but I needed someone beside Noah in this damn room.
RJ had been popping in here and there between shifts. He promised he’d come by today since he finally had a day off. I was actually looking forward to the company.
Then my phone rang, snapping me out of my head.
“Yeah, Jo,” I said, voice tight as I answered the phone.
“What happened to Mommy Ma or Mom? Stormi, you know I’m your mother, right?”
“How could I forget?” I said, trying to keep calm.
“Whatever. That damn boy still ain’t woke up yet?” she asked, her voice cold.
“How about you come see for yourself?” I snapped, frustration creeping in.
“I can’t sit up in no hospitals like that. Did enough of that when Sweetie was sick,” she said, lying through her teeth, like she always did.
I clenched my jaw. I could count on one hand how many times she actually showed up when Sweetie was sick. I was there, every day, every night, for two weeks straight. Jo? She was nowhere to be found. Almost didn’t make the funeral.
“Whatever, Jo,” I said, voice barely steady.
“That’s why he won’t wake up now your mean ass is there. Leave that hospital so my baby can wake up.”
I swallowed hard, wanting to scream at her. “Goodbye, Jo.”
“Wait so, where you been staying? With Seth? I ain’t seen you in days,” she asked, shifting gears like it was no big deal.
Hearing his name made my chest tighten. Seth. We hadn’t even gone on a real date yet, but he was the only thing keeping me sane. He checked on me and Noah all day, every day texting, calling, even bringing me food. His mom’s cooking reminded me of Sweetie, and that small kindness kept me going.
“I’ve been at the hospital. I’m not leaving until Noah wakes up.”
“Girl, that’s crazy. You being there ain’t gonna wake him up any faster. He’s stubborn just like his sorry ass daddy.”
Jo had no filter, no respect for what we were going through. She talked shit about our dads like it was nothing. At least I knew Noah’s dad. My dad? He was just a ghost from Jo’s past. A ghost I never even got to meet.
“Really, Jo?” I said, voice breaking.
“Shit, both my children, just like your damn pappys. Look like their asses too. Maybe I should have another one and make sure this child’s just like me.”
