Page 3 of Finn (Dirty Misfits MC 6)
And as I started inside, only one thought crossed my mind.
If they gave me the job of babysitting that pig, I’d have all of their asses.
Two
Sloane
“I’m gonna get you!” I exclaimed.
“No, no, no! Auntie Sloane, that’s not fair!” Cheyenne said as he thrusted her hand out toward the television.
I threw my hands up in victory as the video game controller tumbled to the floor. “She scores!”
My niece rolled her eyes. “You don’t score in Mario Kart, Auntie Sloane.”
I stood to my feet and stuck my tongue out at her. “You’re just mad because you can’t beat me.”
She grinned. “I could if we were playing Battle Royale.”
I scooped up my controller from the floor. “Oh, you’re on. I’ve been practicing while you’ve been away here lately. I’m gonna whoop your butt at that, too.”
My niece giggled with delight. “Over my dead body. Bring your worst!”
I loved playing video games with my niece. I never got much time to indulge the hobby anymore, but when she was with me I always made time. We played a lot of the classics. You know, things that aren’t too gory for an eleven-year-old’s eyes.
But, when she was done whooping my absolute ass in Battle Royale, she fell back against the couch.
“When’s Mom coming back to get me?” she asked softly.
I set my controller down and snuggled against her. “In a few more days. I promise.”
She peered over at me. “You said that a few days ago.”
I nodded. “I know. But, I talked with her early this morning. She couldn't talk for long, but she told me she’d be back for you in four days. She even promised.”
She perked up. “Really?”
I tried my best to swallow down the lie as I nodded. “Really really, CheyChey.”
She smiled brightly. “That gives me a few more days to kick your butt in video games, then.”
I giggled as I sat up. “You are so on.”
I wasn’t sure how long we played, but I was glad when my phone started ringing. We started playing while the sun was up and by the time I got up to answer my phone it was dark outside. My stomach growled out and I immediately got lightheaded. So, in the process of rushing to get my phone, I grabbed some snacks and tossed them at my niece.
“What the--Auntie Sloane!?” she called out.
I peeked around the corner. “I’m ordering pizza after I take this call. Eat something. We haven’t eaten all day.”
I didn’t even bother seeing who it was because I figured it was work. But, when I picked up the call, I was more than relieved to hear my sister’s voice on the other end of the line.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Hey there,” Summer said.
I looked around before I sneaked myself upstairs to have some privacy. “Summer, what in the world? This girl’s been here for almost two weeks now!”
“I know, I know, and things are absolutely crazy right now, I’m so sorry.”
I needed to figure out what was going on. “Anything you want to talk about? You know I’m always here.”
She sighed. “Look, I don’t agree with this at all, but…”
I hung onto her every word. “What’s going on? Because if I’m going to be keeping Cheyenne any longer, I have to know what’s going on. This is impacting my ability to work. She’s got school, for crying out loud. What are you going to do about that?”
“Then, shut up and listen, because this is going to take a while.”
As I leaned against the hallway wall upstairs, Summer started to speak of things I’d only ever seen during the course of my career. She told me about what she endured at The Body Shop and my jaw almost hit the floor. She told me about how she helped some sort of rogue vigilante crew on bikes take down some really mean, nasty guys and I wanted to chop her fucking head off.
But, when she told me that Tanner was part of that crew and they were officially holed up, waiting for shit to pass, I almost blew through the goddamn roof.
“Sloane? You there?” Summer asked.
I swallowed as much of my anger down as I could. “I don’t--you--I can’t--.”
I couldn’t even speak, I was so angry.
“Sloane, I know you’re upset, but we need--.”
I quickly found my words. “He gets you into shit every single time you two are together. You know that, right?”
She sighed. “Now isn’t the time to be fighting about Tanner.”
I lowered my voice. “He dragged you into what should be local police business, has you holed up in your second safehouse because the other one burned down to the ground, he ripped apart our family once, and now you have the audacity to choose his side so much that you drop your own fucking daughter off with me so you can galavant off and be the damsel in distress at his side? And you wonder why I’m pissed off!?”
