“You do your best every single day. I know for a fact your sister would appreciate that. I lost both my parents. I’d like to think they felt the same way.” In the least my mother.
“I’m sorry, man.” He shakes my hand and pulls me to him for a moment. “Thanks for listening. I haven’t had anyone do that in a long while. Felt good.”
“I’m glad. Now, lean back in your chair.” I start up the needle. “This is the part where I hurt you.”
But Grant doesn’t flinch. He grits his teeth and takes it like a man. He’s absorbing the pain, letting it do what it needs to do, dig into those wounds that life has inflicted—hell, that Owen’ssisterinflicted, and try to rework them into something with meaning—these beautiful letters I’m carving into his flesh. I know all about the pain of losing someone. I still feel it. I know all about the agony and the rage you feel toward someone because they killed your loved one. Because you’ve killed them yourself. I take no pride in what I’ve done. Never did, never will.
Iget home that night, drugged with fatigue, but as soon as I see Daisy’s car, I brighten right up. As tired as I might be, I had the energy to stop by the Italian deli down the street from the shop and pick up a pizza. Some poor soul on the corner was peddling flowers, so I picked up a dozen pink roses. I’m pretty sure my humble abode has never been graced with roses before. It sure does appreciate Daisy, though. She’s the living flower I can never get enough of.
The door is unlocked, and I frown at the thought of Daisy falling prey to some homicidal maniac. I tuck the deposit from the store under the sofa cushion before heading to the kitchen. The bank was the last place I wanted to be tonight. Hell, Daisy is the only place I ever want to be anymore.
“Anybody home?” I shout down the hall, eager to give the girl of my dreams her first bouquet of flowers—from me that is.
“Is that you?” Daisy springs out in a pair of ripped jeans and a tight white sweater that’s begging me to take it off.
“The door was unlocked.” I try not to sound too worried. She’s a grown woman, but we’re not in the best neighborhood.
“I know.” She winces. “I just ran in with my arms full. Scarlett helped bring down the last of my things.” She glares at the tower of boxes growing in the corner. “I’m really sorry I’ve turned your whole life upside down. I wanted to call you today.” Her eyes have a hard time meeting up with mine. “Do you realize I don’t have your number?”
A harsh knock explodes over the door.
“What the—” I blow out a hard breath while craning my neck, trying to make out who the heck is about to break their way in. “These are for you.” I kiss the tip of a rose before handing the bunch to Daisy. “You’re still my favorite flower. Are you up for pizza?” I put my things down as the knocking picks back up, this time paired with a very familiar voice.
“Lucky,” I bark as I open up the door. “Everything okay?” I’m more irritated at the moment than I am concerned.
She barrels in past me and lets out an exasperated scream once she sees Daisy. I’m pretty sure the two of them haven’t had a proper introduction, but Lucky is too busy choking and gagging at the sight of her to give me the chance to do so.
“Who the hell is this girl?” Lucky rages as the cords in her neck jump with anger. “And why is she ruining my life?”
“Excuse me?” Daisy steps back with the flowers still in her hands.
“Lucky, calm the hell down. This is my girlfriend, Daisy.” I shrug somewhat apologetically at Daisy for introducing her that way. I don’t think I’m off the mark, but it’s the first time I’ve ever said those words to anyone—aboutanyone. “Daisy, this is my little sister, Lucky.”
“We’ve met, sort of.” Lucky’s eyes are still pinned to Daisy’s, heated with rage for no apparent reason. I always wondered how she would take it if I had someone in my life, but this is a level of ridiculousness I just can’t handle.
“Drop the attitude, would you? We’ve got pizza. You hungry?”
“What?” Her face pinches with color. “How can youeat?” She turns back to Daisy and glares at her as if she’s seeing something vile, and for the first time, I’m actually embarrassed by the way my sister is acting.
“Whoa. Time out.” I try to pull Lucky to the side to calm her down, but Daisy steps forward and holds a hand in the air for me to stop.
“We were all over the Internet today.” She shakes her head at me. “That picture of us at the game? It took a few days, but the press figured out who you are.”
Lucky scoffs at me. “They called youtat guy. They used your real name, too, but that was sort of after the fact. Think Ink is listed as some junky dive tattoo parlor. They made it sound like you hand out diseases down there.”
My stomach sinks. Today was slow. I had less than five customers, and I wondered what was up, but now I know why.
“It’ll pass.” I look to Daisy and shrug. “I’m forgettable. The public interest is already over with. I can guarantee it.”
Lucky takes a quivering breath as her eyes dart from Daisy to me. “What’s going on? Why is everyone talking about you? Why is my brother suddenly in this shit tank?”
Daisy presses her hand to her mouth a moment. That pained look in her eyes says it all. This is killing her. She doesn’t want to see Lucky hurt, and that picture of the two of us probably spooked her as well.
“I was accused of doing something I didn’t do. Let’s just say the U.S. Senate was loosely involved, and I sort of got caught in the wrong end of a political scandal. Your brother was nice enough to take me in when I had nowhere else to go.”
Lucky gags as she glances to me. “Weren’t you the one who told me not to pick up strays? That they’d bite me and leave me with STDs? Too bad you don’t take your own advice. Now look where it’s got you.” She storms to the door.
“Lucky, get back here and apologize. Daisy is a human being. She deserves respect, and you’re damn well going to give it to her.”
