Page 20 of Dancin' with Demons

Savior’s eyes get as big as saucers. “Really?”

“Yep,” Catacomb says, “Cajun as you can get.”

“Wow,” Savior says, “that’s so cool.”

Savior and Trickster continue sharin’ food and talkin’ about the movies she’s watched so far, and I bring my attention back to dinner and Raylynn. She’s eatin’, just not a lot. She needs to put down more food, but I don’t want to come off like an asshole by harpin’ on her. I might have to change tactics about some of this shit once I figure out the basics on what does and doesn’t upset her.

“So, Ray,” Catacomb says casually, “I didn’t really get to know you when you were friends with Lacey.”

“How is she,” Raylynn asks, leanin’ forward to set her plate on the table.

“She’s okay,” Catacomb says, “ went back to school about two years ago and finished her degree. She lives with Sandra and I but spends a lot of time in her room at the clubhouse or with Rainie. Works at the daycare in town.”

Raylynn smiles a little. “Good. I’m glad she went back to normal. Will you tell her I said hello?”

My president nods. “Yeah, but you know, you could call her. I don’t think she’d be mad if I gave you her number.”

“I don’t have a phone, Cat,” Raylynn says softly.

“Ah, about that,” he says, settin’ his plate down and standin’. From his back pocket, he pulls out one of the new iPhones with a metallic purple back and another little phone. As he sits back down, he reaches over and sets the iPhone on the table in front of Raylynn. “That one’s yours. Sandra, Trick, and I already put your number in our phones. I put all of ours and Renegade’s in yours. This little one only has preprogrammed numbers in it. One is your number, two is Renegade’s. Mine is three, Sandra’s is four, and Trick’s is five. The red button at the bottom calls 9-1-1.”

Raylynn’s brows come together as she looks at the little phone next to her new one and then back at Catacomb. “What’s it for?”

Catacomb pins her with a stern glare. “Savior. That way, if anythin’ ever happens, she has access to everyone in case of an emergency.”

Before the words are out of my president’s mouth, I can tell Raylynn’s gettin’ emotional just by the way her chest moves with each breath. Squeezin’ her leg, she brings her eyes to mine. “Deep breath, babe. I told you, we take care of our own.”

Raylynn stares at me for a long moment before turnin’ her eyes back to Catacomb. “Thank you.” Her words crack, but she takes a deep breath again and keeps herself from overthinkin’ shit and freakin’ like she did earlier.

“You were family the moment we brought you to the clubhouse, Raylynn,” Catacomb says. “And Renegade is right; we take care of our family.” My president takes a few bites of his food, but I know he isn’t done. He’s just givin’ Raylynn a second to process before he starts with the questions again. Once she leans forward and picks up the iPhone, and slides it into her pocket, he sets his plate down again. “So, before we start figurin’ the next steps out, tell me about you. Not what happened when we found you, but you before all that.”

Raylynn grimaces. “Not much to tell, honestly. Grew up in Baltimore City, Maryland. College in Tennessee. Then here.”

Catacomb raises one of his eyebrows as he stares at her. “You ain’t real good with talkin’ about yourself, are you?”

She actually chuckles. “Not really. Ask Lacey. When we first met, she had to put me through the Spanish Inquisition just to learn anything.”

Catacomb glances at me, and I nod at him just slightly enough for him to notice but not enough to catch Raylynn’s attention. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m pryin’, but my president doesn’t give a shit. He’ll ask anyone just about anythin’ if he thinks it’s important. And the truth is if I’m gonna convince Raylynn to come back to Tennessee with me, knowin’ as much as we can about her is important.

“Okay,” Catacomb says, sittin’ back in his chair and puttin’ his arm around Sandra to rest on her shoulders. “Parents. Let’s start there.”

Raylynn takes a shutterin’ breath next to me, and I bring my free hand over to lace my fingers with hers. “Both from Maryland. Dad was an abusive jerk since before I can remember. He dipped when I was twelve. Mom turned into a raging alcoholic hooker. Not much to tell.”

“How’d you end up gettin’ out of that life?” Catacomb never takes his eyes off Raylynn’s face, and aside from occasionally glancin’ at my president, neither do I.

“Worked two jobs as soon as I was old enough to. Made sure I got a college scholarship. Got the hell out as soon as I turned eighteen. Haven’t been back since, haven’t seen either of my folks, and before you ask, no, I’m not interested in ever seeing them again. They could be dead for all I know, and if they are, good riddance.”

Catacomb chuckles. “What made you think I was gonna ask that?”

Raylynn tilts her head to the side a little as she rolls her eyes. “Because it’s the first thing your cousin asked me when she found out. Gave me a speech about family and mendin’ fences. Lacey has a good family that’s worth mendin’ if it gets broken. I don’t. Lacey was the closest thing I had to family.”

“And now?” Catacomb raises an eyebrow as he looks at her. “Anyone I need to put on my list of important people?”

Sighin’, Raylynn adjusts how she’s sittin’, movin’ her body just a little closer to mine as she moves her thumb back and forth across my hand. “Miss Irene. She’s the elderly woman that lives in the apartment next to mine. She’s been like a grandmother to Savior, and honestly, we wouldn’t have survived this long if it wasn’t for her.”

“Your mother ever pimp you out?”

“Christ, Cat,” Sandra hisses as Raylynn tenses like a motherfucker.

---