Page 110 of Freak Show

I looked over to see Slone’s sister and mom barreling into the tent. They came to an abrupt halt when they saw Coco and Melon lounging on either side of Briley.

Grinning, I waved. “How are y’all doing? How was the cruise?”

They hadn’t gotten any better about making their vacations for when Slone and now me—and Briley, of course—could attend. But they were still really great people, and I’d loved getting to know them over the last six months.

“Hey, hurry it up, woman!” I heard called.

Keene appeared moments later in the doorway, snapping his fingers.

Rolling my eyes at his whining, I called to the tigers and said, “Briley, are you staying with your aunt and grandmother, or coming with me?”

“You,” Briley answered as she all but ran toward the tent flap.

Pushing past Keene, she dashed outside, and I tried to follow in her wake, but only managed to see a few bobs and weaves of her bright hair as she darted through the crowd.

I wasn’t worried, though.

Our bodyguard, Van, had her.

Van had become an integral part of our life since we’d made it official, and Briley had started spending time with both me and Slone as we moved from city to city.

We’d had a nice little vacation when his season had ended, but there he was, right back on the grind. And though Briley and I tried to make it to all of his games, some were just impossible to get to.

“Melon,” I called as she started to veer off the path.

Melon quietly growled and turned, making me wonder whose scent she’d caught.

She usually only did that when she smelled Slone, but he wasn’t going to be home for another two days.

He’d had a game last night that had gone bad. They’d been winning in the first quarter, but after halftime, things had gone miserably wrong, and they’d started losing.

Long story short, he hadn’t been in the best of moods last night, and I’d let him be.

Though I did miss him like crazy.

Briley, too, for that matter.

My show went off without a hitch.

In the last six months, we’d definitely missed having Hades there to share the workload.

But it was also very nice to know that she was out there, living her life without latching on to me in an unhealthy way.

We did get monthly updates that usually consisted of ‘I’m okay’ and ‘everything is going good.’

That was enough for me for now.

She’d come around when she was ready, and until then, I’d give her what she never gave me.

Space.

Wiping my forehead free of the droplet of sweat that usually accumulated there thanks to the intense stage lights, I offered everyone a bow and started to head toward the side exit.

Only, as I turned, my gaze fell on a man that was most definitely not supposed to be there.

“Slone.” I beamed.

Briley was next to him, hopping excitedly.

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